Guardian Characters!
by Crimrose4all
Summary: Aileen Howard is different from everyone else, and not just because she's cold, rude, and unearthly beautiful. No, she's of an entirely different species. She lost herself when her family was murdered in front of her, and now all she wants is to find it again. But she immediately regrets that wish when three eggs pop up in her bed! From that moment, her life changed forever.
1. Chapter 1

_**This is the fanfic I actually started writing a while ago, but never posted. Since I was looking through old documents and saw it, I decided to post it now!**_

_**To clear up any misunderstandings, I changed the names back to what they originally were! I imagine, in hindsight, that a lot of people must have been confused or upset with the name change. But Aileen's staying the same because she's an OC to replace Amu, and because of what her name means.**_

_**ALSO. If you don't like the Amuto pairing, then I suggest you stop reading now. Because they are the biggest couple in this fanfic.**_

_**So that's it. I have already written a lot of chapters for this, and if people like it, I'll keep posting them. So enjoy reading!**_

_**Disclaimer: I do not own Shugo Chara.**_

Prologue: Endless Story

A sad melody drifted through the night of a full moon, reaching my ears even though it sounded far away. I lifted my head from my business, looking up to the sky as if expecting to see the player. But no, there was only the full moon shining on my long hair, making it glow like fresh blood. Speaking of, the deed was done. Now I'd have to dispose of the body...

That melody kept resonating in my head, making me shiver. It sounded so sorrowful, that it made me feel for the player. Although I probably would never know who it was, I wished I could hear that violin play once more.

Chapter I: A Day Like Any Other...

Eerily, the tone of the song Empty World drifted through the dark halls of the mansion. The residents stirred, thoroughly aggravated, considering that it was still light out. Their mouths turned into feral snarls, demanding in their heads for the horrid noise to stop before they ripped the source apart-

I touched my iPod screen, turning off the alarm before my parents frigging killed me.

Sitting up in bed, I yawned, making my pajama top stretch above my stomach. I made slapping noises with my mouth, telepathically telling them and their sensitive hearing to go to hell. My warm feet touched the cold floor, making shivers rack my body. Damn, why was it always so cold in the morning...?

I stepped over to my red silk curtains, ripping them open to let the sun's warmth in. But did it ever hurt my overly sensitive eyes. So I walked away, leaving the curtains swaying lightly in the spring breeze.

In the bathroom, I brushed my teeth and washed my face, like I do every morning. In my room, I pulled on my red and black uniform, like every morning. I put on my mascara and thin layer of gloss, brushing my hair after, like every morning.

This godforsaken boring routine made me wish for something more exciting in life.

I ate at the long mahogany dining table, readying myself for what would probably another horrid day of schooling. I ate alone, like every morning, kind of wishing I didn't have to be alone all the time. But this life was better than having none, so I'd take what I could get.

After all, I appreciated having this... abusive (that's the best I can come up with for now) family rather than none. But, every day, I couldn't help but miss my real mother's warm touch, and my real father's antics that always made me laugh.

I smiled sadly to myself. If only I could be who I was back then, and not this cold, empty shell.

"Sister...?" I heard from two soft, identical murmurs from behind me.

"Oh! Sonata, Aria, I'm sorry. Did I wake you?" I forced a wobbly smile on my face, looking at the two twins that closely resembled porcelain dolls.

"We felt an overwhelming...," Sonata started.

"Aura of sadness," Aria finished. Their matching pairs of amber eyes looked at me worriedly.

"Aha, don't worry!" I said nervously, feigning light-heartedness. "I was just... thinking about another terrible day of school to come! You know how it is." I rolled my eyes as I stood up, for even more of a show.

A show that they, apparently, didn't buy. "Sister...," They said very sadly.

"Well, time's a wastin'! I gotta scat!" Being nervous appears to turn me Texan. I scrambled to put my breakfast items out of the way, then made a beeline for the door. I could feel their sad stares watching my back as I left.

Budding trees flew by as I fled down the paved hill, and brightly blooming flowers made me long to be so light. I rounded the corner onto the small allyway to get through the shortcut to school, but I saw two bratty second year high school students bullying a first year out of money. I narrowed my eyes. I was about to teach them a lesson they wouldn't forget.

As I neared, I could hear their conversation. "So, you got _a lot _of money for your birthday, riiiight?" The bullies drawled with wicked grins on their faces.

"Ha, so now your stalking me...?" Said the victim bravely, but his voice shook. He cowered as they snarled at him.

"Hey!" I boomed from behind them I adopted a one-hand-on-hip pose to show them I meant business.

They turned to glare at me, their eyes widening when they recognized me. "I can't get through," I purred threateningly.

"Um, who's this chick...?" One asked, seeming frightened by my gangly appearance.

"Those lion's gold eyes and rose red hair...," the other said while backing away. "You're Aileen Howard from Crescent Academy aren't you?!"

"Her?!" The first and more burly looking one gasped. "Oh, hell, is she the one that beat the shit out of the entire football team for just hitting on her?!"

The second nodded in fright. "And the one who took the entire school by storm, even making the teachers quake with fear?!"

The nerdy looking victim got up and gazed at me with awe. "You're the Scarlet Lion from Crescent?! Really?!"

I have a nickname now? Huh. "Yeah, so? These rumors just keep getting more and more outrageous..."

"I-I'm sorry!" They both squealed like scared little girls as they ran away. "We'll never do it again!"

In a way, I seriously just wanted them to move, but okay. Whatever floats their boat.

"Th-thank you for saving me," the nerd stuttered nervously.

I whirled around, fixing him with a glare and making him yelp. "Let's get one thing straight. I didn't _save_ anyone. I don't ever save anyone. You were in my way, too, so move it or lose it."

He nodded enthusiastically, then fled with a slight skip in his step.

I heaved a huge sigh. Really...

"Hey...," my classmates whispered to one another. "Did you hear? The Scarlet Lion saved a first year from some bullies this morning!"

"Seriously?! She doesn't seem like the type..."

"I hear her family is super rich and famous! She must be in, like, famous foreign magazines all the time! With five- or more- boyfriends!"

Jesus, how much worse can this get?! True, my family is rich and famous, but certainly not in the way they think. And they should be scared of me, more than anything. Really...

"She is just so... cool!" Some squealy, squeaky girls sighed.

"What a ho," some others said, obviously jealous.

God, I just wanted to go home. I glared out the window like the sky could fix my problems. Why can't I just be normal? Why did I have to be so cold and invasive, causing everyone to come up with false ideas about me? Well, the answer to that question was obvious. I couldn't get close to anyone.

I closed my eyes, my eyebrows arching like I was in pain. It's because everything that becomes dear to me gets ripped out of their normal life and will be dragged down with me. I couldn't do that to anyone.

I imagined my classmates and I being separated by a wall, they hulking shadows while I was alone at my desk. It was better to be alone.

"Behind you, there are guardian angels!" Screamed the fake psychic from the TV.

"What bull," Felicia, my 'mother' muttered under her breath. "People are just wasting their time by watching this!"

"Oh, my...," Sonata murmured with a weird look on her face.

"She is certainly wearing a lot of make-up!" Aria gasped.

"Yeah, yeah, she's not pretty like your sister," my 'father', Harry, nodded.

"No one is!" Aria huffed, like she was insulted he would even consider it.

I was kicking my legs back and forth under the table, no one daring to even try to stop me. I angrily scooped the last bits of chocolate ice cream from the carton, wondering why there weren't any guardian angels to watch over me.

"Aileen," Felicia muttered disapprovingly. "Don't you think you should be eating some healthy food?"

"It's not like eating junk food can make me unhealthy," I said defensively.

"True, but I want you to at least try the food I've made."

I narrowed my eyes at her. "I now have undeniable proof that you _are_ trying to get rid of me."

She narrowed hers right back. "Ha ha. Eat."

I disdainfully scooped up something that would be mashed potatoes if it didn't look strangely green. "From now on, I am this household's cook."

"Yes!" The twins and Harry said at the same time. Felicia sighed with her eyebrows pulled down in anger, defeated.

"Guardian angels...," the psychic continued dramatically. "Are always behind you, watching out for the _real you_."

The real you? I turned my head towards the TV slightly. What was she talking about? How would she know anything?

"They will always be there to support you... and assist you to find the real you..."

My eyes widened slightly. To help you _find_ the real you...?

_That's something I want! _My deep, innermost thoughts screamed like a banshee. _I want to find the real me again! The person I used to be before everything was ripped away!_

"Seriously, this is crap!" Felicia continued.

"Those who deny their existence will die..." The psychic warned.

The dining room fell strangely silent. Then, Felicia turned off the TV tih the universal remote and muttered something about monkey shit.

Without another word, I scooted my chair back and left the table. As I left, I heard the twins say, "I felt the... sadness coming from her heart again," finishing each other's sentences as always.

I creaked up the carpeted flight of stairs to my room. It was all decked out with red and black, including my red duvet cover and sheets with the black ivy vine patterns on them. Which I immediately thumped down on in silence.

This big room that could fit ten people or more... just seems to keep getting bigger and bigger as I grow. More and more lonely, with no friends to ever invite over through the years. Darker and darker, as my eyes become even more hateful to the light.

I rolled over and threw my arm over my eyes. All I ever wanted was a normal family life, with my sisters and brother. But I had it ripped away from me in an instant. Including who I once was, the cheerful and bright Ai, as my brother nicknamed me. I let it slip away. I didn't know who I was anymore.

I got up and moved so that I was at my balcony doors, which I opened enough so I could get out. I moved to the edge and stared out at the starry night sky, the light filling up the night's darkness. I recalled what the psychic was saying about guardian angels and knew it was silly for someone like me to do, but I just couldn't help it.

"If someone out there really is watching over me...," I murmured while folding my hands together. "I wish that I could break out of this cold shell and find myself again. I... don't want to be alone any longer." I squeezed my hands together tightly. "Even if it is selfish after all the sins I have comitted for just being who I am... please." I could feel my lip quiver slightly. "I want to make my real parents happy by showing them from the afterlife that I can be happy again. That I can bloom without them." I opened my eyes and stared into the vast starry sky, tears slightly streaming down from my cheeks. "That I'll be okay."

I swear to God that I saw a shooting star that instant that kind of resembled a falling tear.

"I want to reach them. Everyone."

Light burned after images in my eyes, making me squeeze them in irritation. Had my alarm gone off yet? No, I confirmed, rubbing my eyes as I glanced at my wall clock that was shaped like a bat (ironic, no?). I tried rolling away from the light, but something round and warm stopped me dead. Wait, something_s_. I tentatively lifted my duvet and sheets, wondering what the hell. Snuggled right up to my legs were... three eggs.

"The fuck?!" I squealed, falling out of bed. "Who's sick prank is this?! Felicia! Aria! Sonata! What the hell!"

They burst into the room, eyes glowing, snarling, hair mussed. "What kind of nonsense are you talking about at this ungodly hour?!" Felicia spat.

I pointed a trembling finger at the eggs in my bed.

Felicia whipped her head in that direction, then glared at me. "There's nothing there! I thought that you've grown out of this phase!"

"Eggs...," the twins murmured in wonder.

"You're all crazies," Felicia hissed while storming away. "I'm going back to sleep!" The twins followed her, though reluctantly.

"Then... I'm the only one who can see them?" I whispered in disbelief. Well, the twins could, but they were five and telepaths. They could see anything they wanted to.

"I don't get it," I sighed. I stood, my butt and arms cold, considering that my pajamas were red, silk short shorts and a black lacy camisole. I poked the first egg slightly, and it was decorated with a pink plaid pattern and pink hearts. It was warm.

"Ready to hatch," I murmured. "Wait, this makes no sense!"

I was antsy all the way to school. I had no idea what the eggs were, but I didn't want the twins getting their hands on them. They'd be doomed five minutes after I left. So I ended up taking them with me. This was ridiculous! What the hell was I thinking, taking mysterious eggs to school! How did they even get there? As far as I know, I have no talents like that... making eggs fucking poof out of nowhere...

"Omigod," some of those giggly girls squealed. "Here come the Guardians!"

Oh, boy, not again.

The Guardians of Crescent Academy were a group of four students that protected and assisted the student body, kind of like a student council. It consisted of four posts named after whacky card names, which makes me concerned for the Headmaster's mental health. There was the King, Queen, Jack, and Ace. They even had these cheesy little capes to top off the ridiculous little parade.

"Ohhhh, boy, there's the King! Tadase Hotori!"

I turned slightly, aggravated. The kid King wasn't so special. With his golden locks that dusted over his eyes, which were a red burgundy...

It's not that I was secretly crushing on him. Nothing like that. It's just that... he spread light and hope wherever he went, and was someone people looked up to. I _envied _him. I wished people could look at me like that.

But they never can. I'm just... not like that. I'm all darkness, versus his light.

Jolting me out of my reverie was a slight wiggle in my bag.

_What the hell?!_ I opened the flap of my messenger bag, and the first pink, girly egg was shaking, like something was trying to come out. Oh, Jesus, what was it?! I closed the flap furiously, only to hear the sound of footsteps coming toward me.

I felt a hand on my shoulder, causing me to look over it incredulously. There was King Tadase, looking at me as if I was something that he had been searching for.

"Excuse me," he said politely but urgently. "But you may have-"

I cut him off by lashing my shoulder out from his grip, glaring at him like my nickname applied. "Don't lay your weak hands on me, brat!" I snarled as I marched away. As I walked by, insulting and surprised whispers erupted from a once quiet crowd. I could barely hear Tadase's apology.

As I rounded the corner of our huge brick academy, I couldn't help but think _shit!_ Well, there goes my idol! He actually took a step toward me, unlike anyone else. Well, it's true that I would have rejected it anyway, but still... he probably hates me.

I shrugged, trying to convince myself that I didn't care about having friends. But loneliness was seriously getting the better of me. Oh, well.

The bell rang, jarring me from my thoughts. My long, scarlet hair framed me as I whipped around and began to march for the door, ignoring all whispers swarming my poor, oversensitive ears. I had just distanced myself even further from everyone.

The annual Guardian's assembly was taking place today, which consisted of taking student suggestions and questions for a full hour and a half. During the day, people talked about me while standing even further away, like I was a disease that they didn't want to catch. So sitting close to alot of people during this assembly made me shudder with anger. At myself.

"We will now begin our annual Guardian meeting," the King announced from his stupid, stupid podium. "If anyone has any announcements, please say them now."

I couldn't help but sigh, causing the people I sat around to flinch away slightly. Even though I was a deadly predator, I wanted to tell Tadase that I was sorry. I'm already on a lot of people's blacklist; I don't need anymore. I couldn't help but admire him from where he stood, so strong and light, the complete opposite of me.

_Then tell him your sorry and that you admire him! _Said a small and girly voice in my head. Once I heard it, I imagined a cheerleader with pigtails and bubblegum to go with it. _Change your character!_

Oh my God, what the hell was happening?! I felt a slight change inside of my stomach, causing my heart to beat strongly and excitedly. I crashed up from my seat and raised my hand enthusiastically, only it wasn't really _me _that was doing it. I felt like I was watching in horror from a backseat.

"Yes!" I called cheerily and loudly. "I wanted to say that I'm sorry and OMG, I looooove you!"

I could feel myself screaming with absolute terror on the inside. That wasn't me! I don't feel that way about Tadase! When did my voice turn all girly?! I was about to snap.

That fluttery feeling I was having during that escapade popped away after my little 'declaration' was done, leaving me standing there, astounded and flabbergasted. I became acutely aware of the murmurs around me, raising hell. OH SHIT, WHAT DID I JUST SCREAM AT THE TOP OF MY LUNGS?!

Tadase looked at me in stunned silence, then finally shut his eyes and bowed his head. "We're in a meeting right now," his voice boomed front he speakers positioned around the auditorium, his voice so loud and flat I cringed inwardly. "Please refrain from making such outbursts. And... I love someone else. I'm sorry."

Oh my God, I didn't want to say that! I was so embarrassed (me, embarrassed!) that I fled from where I stood to outside, hearing him call for me to wait as I ran.

There's no way someone like me was even capable of loving _anybody_, let alone that light, gay boy! What the hell was wrong with me?! My mouth was moving and talking all on its own...

I was running so blindly that I didn't even notice the big, gaping hole that was under construction up ahead. I crashed through the caution boards and fell right down.

The fuck?! Who puts a hole spot in the middle of a street where anyone who just embarrassed themself to hell could fall through?!

I tried to activate my cat-like reflexes that came with the territory, but none would come. Wow, I was falling and probably was going to break a few bones. WHAT ELSE COULD GO WRONG.

The breath was knocked right out of me as I impacted with the ground. But the ground wasn't as hard as I expected. In fact, I don't even think I'll suffer from bruises. The ground was strangely soft...

I lifted my head, groaning in slight pain as I realized I _was_ hurt. Blood trickled down from my forehead in an eerie fashion. I squeezed my eyes open, expecting to see a safety mattress or something.

Not an unearthly hot guy.

I widened my eyes in disbelief. I landed spot on top of a guy who was ridiculously attractive. His hair was a deep blue black, shining somewhat indigo in the sun. His eyes were pools of midnight blue that someone could dive into and get lost forever. Being on top of him, I could feel that his body was lean with some decent muscles. Aaaaaand, I landed on him with my head slightly over his (that, turns out, hit a nice spiky rock) so he was staring right in the face of my boobs.

He was glaring at me slightly, but his eyes widened as he scanned all of my looks, from top to bottom, making me shiver. I instantly shuffled off of him as fast as I could, thinking about how creeped out I was. And it was hard to creep me out at all.

He sighed, deep and low. "Who are you? I was having a nice dream, too..."

I quirked an eyebrow, causing the blood to flow faster from my forehead. "Who in their right mind sleeps in a pit?" I scoffed as I rustled in my bag for a tissue or something.

He just stared at me. Weird kid.

"Wait...," he muttered while standing right next to me. "I'll get it," he said while licking my blood off of my forehead.

What the _hell?! _I gasped and zoomed away at an unearthly speed, leaving him speechless. "_Never do that again,_" I growled.

He seemed to consider something. "Wow, weird tasting blood." Then he smirked like the Cheshire cat. "I smell eggs."

Oh, shit. "What?!" I asked like I had no idea what he was talking about.

"You have character eggs, don't you?!" He said while approaching me again.

"St-stay away...," I stuttered while backing away as far as I could before hitting the wall. I really didn't want to unleash my powers on a human, but if need be...

He backed me up against the dirt wall and started feeling me up everywhere. "Now come on, where is it...?"

"Get the hell away from me!" I gasped, stunned that anyone would think of doing this to someone like me, let alone a stranger. Don't I seem the slightest bit dangerous to him?!

"Where are you hiding your treasure...?" He trailed off, his grin widening as he observed my discomfort.

I managed to swat him away. "Stay away from me, you weird little-"

"Found it!" He drawled while emerging from my messenger bag with the pink egg.

He was lucky he cut me off before I finished. "The egg...," I glared, daring him to steal it.

"Hmhm, thanks, kid," he chuckled, twirling it through his fingers.

That made me puff up like an angry cat. "I am _not _a kid, just because I'm short! Just for that, give me back the egg, you theif!"

"Woah!" He said while swiping it out of my reach.

I glared at him, and his confidence deflated a bit. "You dare to challenge _me..._?" I hissed, feeling my hair being lifted by imaginary strings and my eyes flare like golden flames.

I was cut off by the sound of grinding metal. We both looked up in surprise to find a high-hoe charging for the hole with a claw full of dirt. Shit.

Right now, I didn't care if he was stealing from me. I wouldn't have another person die because of me. "Can you get out on your own?!" I lashed, whirling to face him.

"What?" He asked incredulously, his eyebrows pulled down.

"The hole! Can you get out on your own?!"

"Uh, sure..."

"Good!" I flashed to the end of the hole where the high-hoe wasn't closing in on. I didn't glance over to see if he was getting out, but I could feel his laughing stare on my back. But it stopped when I unsheathed my long claws that dug into the dirt, and I zoomed up the wall like a cat trying to get a juicy bird.

I clawed myself right up into the air, then did a flip as I landed. My pink egg floated beside me, confusing me as to why it was floating. It started to shake and quiver, until it finally snapped in two, revealing a big crack in the middle. A very small and chibi looking pink girl hatched from it, and looked up at me.

And, boy, was she pink. She had a little pink cheerleading dress on her, with a hot pink bandana tied around her neck. Her hair was magenta, and it was tied up as a ponytail on one side, held up by her pink visor with a heart on it. She held pink pompoms, which made me squint at her in disbelief. Who was this and why were they so pink and girly, two things I hated?

"Argh, wait are you doing, Aileen!" She yelled. "You almost let me get stolen!"

I backed away from the yelling little dwarf. "Woah, don't tase me, bro!" What the hell was going on?!

She rolled her cotton candy coloured eyes. "That doesn't matter! That guy wants your other eggs, too!"

"_What?!_" I whirled around, finding the hot-perverted-guy on top of a telephone pole in front of me, with blue black cat ears and tail.

Could this day get any weirder?!

"What in the world-?!" I cut myself off, unable to find any words.

"Be on your guard!" Said the little pink person.

"Ikuto," said a little punked out cat person, about the same size as cheery over here, as he popped out from behind the hot-perverted-guy's hair. "Should we character transform?"

"Nah, her skills aren't good enough for me to worry about," he shrugged.

"You wanna bet?" I snarled, daring him to come down from his high post.

"Are you crazy?!" Gasped Cheery. "You have to transform with me to fight him!"

As he hopped down from his post, landing perfectly on his feet (like a cat), I dug around in my bag until I pulled out a chain belt. "I don't need your help!" I told her as I held it threateningly.

"You think you can use that against me?" He chuckled, actually amused.

I smiled like a demon. "Bet on it." I felt the belt grow and lengthen until it was the size of a large whip, making him gape. I reeled it back, then snapped it in an ark shape. It hit the ground with such power that some pieces of earth and rock came shattering into the air.

He dodged with master skill, but was unable to hide the surprise from his features. "What the fuck?!" He said as he landed. "Who is this chick...?!"

For an instant, I could see myself through his eyes. My pale skin glowing in the sun, golden eyes burning, and red rose hair rising threateningly in the wind, holding a chain whip that just shattered the earth. "Bring it!"

"Aileen, you can't use just physical attacks on him!" Cheery face-palmed. "You have to use my power! A _Guardian Characters _power!"

"A _what?!_" I gaped. "I don't understand!"  
"I'll explain later!" She nodded to herself, then looked troubled. "But we'll need _that..._"

I had no idea what was going on here. Suddenly, Tadase burst through the entrance of the construction sight, his eyes darting around the scene. He beelined in front of me, a weird little crown on his head and holding a scepter. How fitting.

"It's against the rules to attack a newborn, Ikuto Tsukiyomi!" He yelled at hot-perverted-guy.

"I don't play by your rules," he snorted. He whipped his forefinger up, and a phantom image of a large cat claw appeared. "So, your name's Aileen, is it?" He grinned at me. "Just so you know, Aileen, your eggs..."

He pointed his forefinger at us, the cat claw swiping forward. "...Will be mine!"

Why is everything about _eggs _so important?!

"I'm not letting you, who attacks innocent girls..." Hey, I'm anything but innocent. "Obtain the Embryo!"

What? A chicken egg? At least that's as far as my definition of embryo goes...

"Whatever," I heard 'Ikuto' chuckle.

"Holy Crown!" Tadase called as he pushed me behind him and held up his scepter. A royal orange shield popped before us, shielding us from the attack.

When the shield went down, we saw that Ikuto had disappeared. "Cat trick," Tadase muttered. He shuffled in his pocket, emerged with a tissue, and gently held it to my face. "You have dirt on your face," he murmured. "Are you hurt anywhere...?"

I pointed to my forehead angrily and swiped the tissue from his hand. "Ugh, who was that guy?" I asked while letting spit ease onto the tissue, then touched it to my head.

"That doesn't matter right now," he muttered. "What matters is that you always have to be on the lookout for people like him, who will come to steal your eggs." He turned toward the exit slightly. "I should get back to the meeting. You should definitely get home and rest up."

"You think you can leave without telling me anything?" I scoffed cruelly, making him flinch. "Who was that guy, seriously? What's the 'embryo'? What is this thing?" I gestured to Cheery, who huffed like she was insulted.

"I'll answer all of your questions when we meet next," he smiled warmly. "For now, get some rest." Then he took his leave.

That was when I saw the little dude on his shoulder with light purple hair and light blue eyes that was dressed as a prince. He had one of these... 'Guardian Characters' too.

"Sooo," I drawled as I sat up in my bed to stare at Cheery. "What, exactly, are you?"

"My name's Ran!" She cheered while doing a pompom dance. "I'm your Guardian Character!"

She must have felt the need to elaborate due to the question mark look on my face.

"That means I'm the you you want to be! You made a wish to be someone else or, in your case, find yourself, so I was born from that wish!" She did a little flip in the air and landed in the splits. "I'm a part of you that you lost, and I'm here to help you find it again!"

"That's impossible for me," I sighed while looking away.

"Nothing's impossible!" She yelled, floating in front of me so I would look at her. "You've just gotta believe!"

"I can't do that when I have nothing to believe in," I quipped.

She looked down sadly. "I was born from your heart, so I know _you_. I know what sadness and all that you've been through. But, normally when that happens, people's eggs, or dreams, die. Haven't you stopped to wonder why your's have lived on?"

I looked at the other two eggs, one blue plaid with spades on it, the other green plaid with clubs on it. I smiled sadly. "I just can't imagine why."

I looked at her, and she looked like she was about to cry. "Vampires like me aren't supposed to have dreams to begin with."

_**So what did you think? Chapter one didn't really establish much, I know, but if you want to know more than I guess you'll just have to keep reading!**_

_**Please leave a review with any thoughts you might have so far. Thanks for reading, and stay tuned!**_


	2. Chapter 2

_**So, here's Chapter II, for those of you who waited for it!**_

_**Aileen: "This is ludicrous! Why do you keep giving me these 'moments' with that perverted alien king?!"**_

_**Crimrose4all: "Fanservice, my dear. Fanservice."**_

_**Ikuto: "I, personally, am all for it."**_

_**Aileen: "You can just get out."**_

_**Crimrose4all: "And they will continue and start to get deeper… *smirks*"**_

_**Aileen: "Whoa, whoa, whoa! Why?!"**_

_**Crimrose4all: "Disclaimer time!"**_

_**Aileen: "Don't ignore me!"**_

_**Disclaimer: I do not own Shugo Chara.**_

_**Aileen: "You also don't own me, you can't make me like him!"  
**_

_**Crimrose4all: "As a matter of fact, sweetie, I do and I will."**_

Chapter II: Who Are You, Really?

I rubbed my eyes in irritation when I woke up the next morning. It was pouring outside, so I smiled. I loved miserable weather, since I didn't have to face the sun.

Hopping out of bed cheerily, I stretched my arms above my head and yawned. I was just about to leave for the bathroom (boring morning routine) when a pink cheerleader little person floated in front of my face.

"Hey, hey, gettin' ready for school! Hey, hey, gotta look cool!" She cheered loudly.

"Ack!" I squealed while flinching back. Sigh, so it wasn't just a very bad dream. I actually had a little cheery person following me everywhere. Ha ha, how much crueler can my life get?

"Come on, to the bathroom!" She yelled while blowing the whistle tied around her neck.

I fixed a glare on her, making her noise trail off. Then I flicked her away with my forefinger and thumb.

"What was that for?!" She yelled, face planting on my desk.

"I _know_ my morning routine," I said while walking away without glancing back. "I don't need you to cheer it for me."

I heard her heave a little sigh as I walked down the hall. I'd like to say that I brushed my teeth and washed my face like every morning, but Ran kept cheering loudly for me to go, go! I'd love to say that I got dressed like every morning, but Ran kept pointing out stuff that I should add to blitz out my uniform. I'd like to say that I brushed my hair and put on make-up like every morning, but Ran found stuff that apparently would make me look "hawt". Ridiculous.

By breakfast, I was about ready to snap. I bit into my toast and eggs extra hard, accidently enlarging my fangs and biting my tongue. That hurt, extremely badly, and all Ran did was cheer something about getting back up on my feet and get better.

"AUGH!" I screamed while swallowing my blood down and licking my own tongue, healing it. "I cannot take this! Why must you consistently cheer like hell?!"

"That's someone you want to be!" She giggled. "Cheerful and honest!"

A light bulb went off in my head. My face transformed into a snarl as I glared at her. "Then that incident was _your _fault! You're the reason why I must enter school while hanging my head! You're the reason why I have lost some Vampire pride!" I bit into a tissue, sniffling.

"Um, what incident? Oh, where you confessed to that king guy?!" She sniffed proudly. "Girl, I did you a favor."

"I don't _love_ anyone!" I yelled.

"Wh-what?!" Said Ran, flabbergasted.

"I just look up to him! Envy him, even! I don't love him!"

"Ohhhh," she muttered, an epiphany coming on. "Oopsie."

"Yeah," I mumbled, putting the dishes in the dishwasher. "Oopsie."

Yelling at each other about how it was good for me, we left the house in a very loud way. I didn't even notice that we woke up the twins and that they were watching me with smiles on their faces.

"This is gonna be all your fault," I whispered to Ran, who I made hide in my bag.

"Don't worry; I'm sure it will help you in some way!" She yelled.

People looked around as though they heard her, so I shoved her further into the bag, suffocating her. I smiled nonchalantly.

Though it was hard to while everyone was whispering as I passed. I kept hearing the words 'Tadase', and 'confessed'. I sat in my seat near the window, looking out of it as if I didn't care. Even though I may be a Vampire, it still hurt to be alienated. I'm still a teenager, after all.

"Um, Miss Howard...?" Said someone from behind me.

Shit nuggets. I turned to face them, expecting the worse. Like, 'how could someone like you like King Tadase?!' even though I don't. But it was three classmates, all girls, and they were smiling warmly at me.

"We just wanted to let you know...," they said nervously. "We thought that was really brave of you. Confessing to Tadase, that is." Even though I don't like him! "I hope... we can become friends from now on."

My eyes widened. What? They wanted to become friends with me because they thought I was brave and relatable? That was insane! But I couldn't help but smile slightly. All humans may not be so bad.

"I can't believe you like the prince, too! I feel like we're so close already!" A girl giggled with dark hair and glasses.

I don't, but whatever. "Do you mind if we call you 'Ai'?" One with light hair done up in high pigtails asked.

"Um, sure...," I said, feeling slightly awkward.

"I thought that the 'Scarlet Lion' was kind of scary and cool, but... this side of you is awesome!" The third giggled.

What side?! That was an accident! But I felt kind of overwhelmed with warmth as these girls sat around me, talking as if we had all just become best friends. I also felt sad, because this couldn't last. I might as well enjoy it, before I snap.

I looked in my bag to see Ran smirking at me. I swat her, but lightly.

"Excuse me," said a very elegant but girly voice as the wooden classroom door creaked open.

The girl that walked through was Nadeshiko Fujisaki. She was the Queen of the Guardians, known for being very elegant and ladylike. Her hair was always done up in a ponytail, held up by a flowery elastic. It was the colour of a passionate indigo, and shone purple-ish in the sun. Her eyes were a tail of amber glow, not as bright as mine. She was very tall and lean, and had a very good sense of style. But when she walked in here with that red plaid Guardian cape, I began to doubt that tidbit of info.

"Is Miss Aileen Howard here?" She called, glancing around.

Sighing, I closed my eyes and waved my hand around a bit.

She approached me with a light smile on her face. Everyone was gaping, and the girls around me were saying that I was awesome for getting a personal visit from Lady Nadeshiko.

"Here," said Nadeshiko while handing me an ivory envelope with a wax seal melted on it. "Today, we'll be waiting for you in the Royal Garden."  
Oh, Lord of all things holy. That little 'clubhouse' for the lame Guardians? Why, oh, _why_ must I go there?

Nadeshiko suddenly got very close to the side of my face, making sure no one would hear. "This is a message from Tadase. He's going to tell you all about eggs." Then she left, some male eyes trailing after her with a pining.

"Wow, Ai!" Said the glasses chick. "You got a royal tea party invitation!"

Shit. Did I want to go? No. But I _had _to. I stared in my bag, Ran looking out and smiling slightly at me. I had to know more about these things, otherwise, well, I'd have a new half to me, but I would lose the old.

It was gym, my most hated time of day. We were set up in the large gym with glass windows, letting everyone know that the day was too crappy to go outside. Gymnastics mats and bars were all set up, making me dread what was to come.

Really, gym wasn't a problem for me. My reflexes and flexibility were as good as can be. Fantastic, some might say. But I could those toned down low so no one will suspect anything, not necessarily vampirism, but maybe steroids.

"Today, we will be mounting the bar," boomed our gym teacher who was a major junkie. She always wore school tracksuits and a whistle, like being gym teacher was full time. Her droopy blonde hair was always up in a high, sporty ponytail, but she always seemed depressed to me.

My mind was somewhere else, though. I was thinking about how they probably wanted to talk to me about my Guardian Characters or something, though the three girls (whose names I learned were Manami, Wakana and something else which I forget) were dead-set on that since the term was ending, they were going have to pick new Guardians and I would be Queen. I highly doubted that. The last thing I want is to be in a clown parade.

"Aileen Howard!" Coach boomed, snapping me out of my thoughts. "Since you seem so _enthusiastic _about class, how about you go first?"

Fuck me. "Whatever you say," I told her. I copped it off with a salute.

I neared the bar, preparing myself to physically fail. Just as I was about to jump and grab on, meaning to fall immediately, I got that excited, fluttery feeling in my heart again. This led me to believe that Ran was taking over.

My hands grabbed onto the chilly bar, and swung me around and around and around and around, so fast and expertly that I felt like I was going to throw up. The startled and awed faces of my classmates flew by my vision once, twice, thrice... Again and again and again.

Until, finally, I let go while beginning to finish a round, did a flip in the air, and landed in a perfect split on the mat.

Everyone clapped, so loud that my ears ached. Coach's hand was zooming over her clipboard, staring at me like I was a national gymnast that had just asked for her hand in marriage (as if; who would want to be with such a bitchy person for the rest of their lives?).

I excused myself to the bathroom. After peeking under the stalls to confirm that no one was in here but me, I shook my bag out, catching the green egg before it fell to the ground.

Ran tumbled out, looking just plain offended. She glared at me. "What the heck did you do that for?! You did great!"

"You idiot!" I said while clasping her tightly in my hands. "What if people start to suspect something?! Then we'll both be in big doodoo!"

"No one suspects anything!" She huffed. "Just that you are an amazing gymnast!"

"You little-," I growled, but stopped when a sudden thought occurred to me. I let go of Ran when I realized that the blue egg didn't fall out for me to catch.

"What's wrong?" Ran asked.

I scrambled to look all over the floor, the sinks, even the ceiling, and then whirled to face her with a look on my face. "The blue egg is gone."

"What!" She gasped, immediately starting to look as well. "Did you drop it in the classroom or something?!"

"I'm a Vampire, who can stay alive and young for millennia, thus giving me good memory! I think I'd remember if I dropped it somewhere!"

"Are you _sure_?!"

"RAN!"

"Okay, okay," she sighed, face palming. "We'll have to look first thing after school."

_Wait, _I thought. _The Guardian's meeting! _This is where I could learn about these little characters. I couldn't miss it.

"I can't," I mumbled, my eyebrows pulling down. "I've already made another commitment."

"Aileen!" Ran yelled. "This is a piece of you! What if someone else finds it?"

"A Vampire _never_ breaks a promise!" I snapped in her face. "They are as sacred as a blood pact! I promised to be at that meeting, so I'm going! I never asked for Guardian Characters or whatever! It was just a little joke."

Ran looked incredibly upset and somewhat betrayed. "You don't believe that," she whispered.

"Whatever!" I said, finishing it. "I want you all out of my life. Jeez, after all of this stress, I might actually be pressured into drinking blood again...," I muttered while gathering my stuff and walking away. Ran surprisingly followed behind, but she was drooping like a wilted flower.

Last period was art. Our assignment was to draw the person in front of us, and I was sadly positioned in front of one of those girls who thought I was a ho-bag. What was her name? Samantha something...

"You had better draw me beautifully," she huffed while flipping her curly, burgundy hair behind her shoulder. "I'm taking private art lessons, so you'd better watch out." She glared at me, her ugly green eyes daring me to try.

Another talent learned in childhood that I must hide; I could practically match up to some famous artists with my talent. But, because this chick was such a bitch, I was drawing her terribly for my own satisfaction. But I couldn't help but feel sad that I had to bide my talent. I kind of wanted to show off...

_Then why not change? _Said a cool and whimsical voice in my head. Shit, more voices. _Stop biding your art talents and let them flow! Character Change!_

My hand started to suddenly fly across my paper, faster than the speed of light. I didn't even feel like I was doing it, just had that backseat fluttery feeling again as shapes began to become clear. A head... neck... arms...

With one last dramatic gesture of flying off the page, my portrait was complete. It looked exactly like Samantha, but probably prettier. I smirked when I noticed that I had even capture that small sit on her chin, ruining the picture but making me laugh.

"Oh, my," our art teacher gasped. "This is truly beautiful! Every detail has been captured and captivated! It's almost like a photograph..."

As people began to crowd around my masterpiece, I remembered the issue at hand. I glared at Ran.

"I didn't do it!" She waved defensively. "I can only change you to be good at sports!"

"Then who...," I trailed off, searching around the classroom.

My eyes landed on something moving outside the window. I squinted, and then realized that it was a Guardian Character. Probably mine, from the looks of them.

I couldn't tell if it was a boy or girl, since their ultramarine hair was short and done up in a light blue beret with a dark blue big spade on it. They were holding a sketch pad, doing something, and an artists' bag was slung over one shoulder. They had little combat boots, shirts, a white dress shirt with a black sweater vest on top, and very light blue eyes.

The spade! That had to be the blue egg! Wait, it hatched?!

"Please excuse me!" I yelled over the hushed compliments of my drawing. I dashed out of the room before anyone could say anything.

I ended up dashing out to the courtyard, below the window where I saw them floating. There they were, a bit lower, enough for me to get my hands on them and ring their neck for running away. But just as I leapt of like a leopard, she floated just out of my reach, making me face plant, then cuss.

As I chased her everywhere, demanding to know why she was running away, I couldn't shake the prickly feeling at the back of my neck, which meant I was being watched. But I had bigger thing to worry about, so I let it be.

Ran finally started to scream at her in frustration. "You're Ai's Guardian Character, too! Why are you running away?!"

The little blue person stopped ahead of us, and then slowly turned to look at us coldly. "I'm Miki, one of Ai's selves she wants to be. But..."

I braced myself for what was coming.

"You don't believe in the self you want to be," Miki sighed. "You keep insisting that you have nothing left to believe in. But if you don't believe in yourself... Ran and I will disappear."

What?!

"It's true," Ran mumbled despondently. "If you don't believe in yourself, you don't believe in your dreams. Since we are pretty much the physical forms of your dreams... we'll disappear if you don't believe we exist."

I thought about this. It made sense that if I don't say something exists, it won't to me. They asked me kindly to trust them and what they say, so that I won't have to suffer anymore.

I bowed my head, making sure my bangs covered my eyes. "I can't trust anyone," I whispered, confessing this for the first time. "They only person I allow myself to trust in is me. Whenever I trust in someone..." I clenched my fists at my sides. "Their fate- and mine- is sealed."

Ran and Miki looked at me sadly, guessing what I was about to say.

"But..." They looked up at me, hopeful. "Since you guys pretty much are me in a different way, I guess I can trust you about as much as I trust myself. Which isn't a lot!" I added quickly.

Their smiles could have lit up a dark stage. They floated over to me and started to hug my face like little girls. I, of course, shoved them away, stating that I wasn't a hugger. But... I couldn't help but feel hope from those tiny, warm little arms.

-Ikuto-

"Somewhere...," I mumbled to myself. "A Guardian egg has hatched."

Instantly, I thought of that Aileen girl. I thought about how I was completely... 'Enchanted' would be a good word, when I first saw her. When she was sitting on my chest, looking at me as if I was pissing her off. The way her bloody hair swirled like a blood coated spider web in the wind, and the way her lion's gold eyes glared at me. How her full mouth was tilted down, like her falling was my entire fault. I never thought I would think this way, but I've found someone prettier than Ulrika.

What? Did I just catch myself thinking that a girl was pretty? I tend not to even care about that kind of stuff... I stared out into the sky that was starting to melt into a bit of a sunset, the red and gold in it reminding me of her again. What the heck? This is the first time a girl has constantly been on my mind...

"Is that what you were telling me about?" Said a familiar and mature girly voice from behind me. "Aileen's eggs?"

I felt that someone was hugging me from behind, someone that I was taller than by a head or two.

"Ikuto... I'll do anything for you," she said while gripping my shirt. "I'll find you the Embryo, for sure!"

I ignored her. If she found the Embryo, she should use it on herself. I wouldn't want to take that away from her. Which is why I have to find it so I won't feel guilty.

My eyes narrowed slightly as I stared the sun down. I would grant my wish on my own. The sun's colours reminded me of Aileen again, making me a little aggravated. Why did that girl keep stealing my attention?

Maybe it's because something about her intrigued me the second I saw her. The way she stared me down was like predator trapping their pray. She exuded danger. And that power that she could use with a simple chain...

Just who was she...?

-Aileen-

(Eye-lean)

"To the Royal Garden for a tea party!" Ran and Miki sang merrily as we strode down the paved path decorated with spring flowers.

I smiled to myself. They were so goofy. We emerged from a sea of trees to see a giant glass building that looked like a greenhouse to me. I could see exotic and colourful plants inside, even little pools of aqua water with little fishies. Well, if this wasn't going to the extreme, I don't know what is. Sure, my family and I live in a mansion, but not a _big _mansion. My room is about the size of an average living room, or master bedroom. Pretty small for mansion standards.

"Oh, look at that!" Ran squealed, flailing her pompoms all around.

"It's artistic!" Miki yelled, seeming to get some muse.

"Whatever," I sighed, rolling my eyes. "Let's just get this over with. And try not to embarrass me."

"Embarrass you?" They quipped at the same time, raising their tiny eyebrows.

"Say anything else and I will suck all of the blood- or whatever it is you have in there- right out of your body." My tone wasn't joking, so they backed off.

"Hey," I yelled while opening the door without even considering being gentle. The Guardians sat under a gazebo surrounded by bright flowers, making them seem like damn royalty. They were sitting around a light wood table with tea and snacks. Oh, how kiddie.

"Welcome, Miss Aileen Howard," called Prince Tadase. "Welcome to our Royal Garden. Please, sit."

As I climbed up the steps leading to the gazebo, I realized that the Guardians each had their own little buddy. Tadase with his little snooty, prince-y one. Nadeshiko had one with dark purple hair that was tied with a flower, identical to her's. She wore a light pink kimono that faded into flowers.

The Ace, whose name escapes me, had light orange hair and crispy, snapping chocolate brown eyes. Her character was a baby, looking almost identical to her apart from the footie pajamas, bib, and pacifier.

The Jack had a shock of burgundy hair that flared out in every direction. His eyes were a deep green, seeming ready for anything. His character had spiky green hair, a headband with a star on it, deep orange eyes, and sporty wear. His grin said that he was accepting of any challenge.

"First let us introduce ourselves," said Tease, smiling warmly. "I'm Tadase Hotori, the King chair. I'm a junior, like you. This is Kiseki," he said, gesturing to his character.

"I'm Nadeshiko Fujisaki," the Queen said with a smile. "I'm also a junior. This is Temari." Her character bowed politely.

"My name's Yaya!" Said the Ace in a very girly and peppy voice. "I'm a sophomore! This is Pepe!" Her baby sucked on the pacifier, making an annoying sound.

"I'm Kukai," said the Jack with a mischevious grin. "A senior. Captain of the soccer team. This is Daichi." His character gave me a thumbs up.

I realized everyone was waiting for me, so I sighed. "Aileen Howard. This is-"

"We already know," Nadeshiko giggled. "These are your Guardian Characters, Ran and Miki."

I made a face.

"You're really independent and stubborn," giggled Yaya. "That's cute."

"And you don't like really scary stuff, right?" Kukai chuckled.

My face flushed with shame. Me, a mighty Vampire, was afraid of the occult. Don't judge.

"It's our job to protect the information of all students," Nadeshiko laughed.

"I see, so you're stalkers."

"I bet you're wondering what exactly these Guardian Characters are," Tadase grinned.

"Now that you mention it..."

He chuckled and handed me a picture book with a very worried looking egg on the front. _What the hell? _I flipped to the first page. It detailed that every child has an egg in their heart, born from the love and care of their dreams. Wow, eggs inside of us.

It said something about how the egg cannot be seen by your eyes until you wish for it. I was intrigued by the insanity of this book, so I flipped to the next page. But some were torn out, making me grunt in irritation.

"That book was written by the first King, who was the founder of the Guardians," Tadase explained, seeing my dismay. "The heart's egg... doesn't that sound familiar?"

I simply looked at him in response. I already pretty much figured out that that's what Ran and Miki were. Another page over held six haunting words.

'It disappears as you get older...'

That made no sense in my situation. I was already seventeen, and I had a lot of my life and dreams ripped away. Why did my eggs survive?

"Only students who have Guardian Characters inherited the original position from our predecessors," Tadase continued. "So, Miss Aileen Howard..."

I waited, very impatiently, for what Tadase was about to say. Everyone was tensing up, like it was a big deal.

"We'd like to ask you to join the Guardians," he finished with a smile

"Wh-what?!" I yelled, astounded.

"That's right!" Yaya yelled while sticking out her tongue. "Everyone has a heart's egg, but if your wish is strong enough, some pretty weird ones come out. That's a Guardian Character! They are unique to you, and only a few hatch before time runs out."

They want me, a high and mighty Vampire (though they don't know that) to be a part of this childish parade? To wear a stupid little cape? To act like them?

"Well?" Tadase said while everyone waited in anticipation. "What do you say?"

"Um...," I said, looking at them like I was asking _are you serious?!_ When I saw they weren't joking, I said the only thing I could think of to say.

"No way in hell."

They all looked dumbfounded.

"Wha- why not?!" Yaya screeched, getting in my face. "If you become a Guardian, you'll have lots of privileges! And you could be with other Character Owners!"

"Well, I have more than one personal reason...," I sighed while getting up. "But, most of all, I refuse to wear that cape."

"You- what?" Said Yaya, filling the awkward and silent dumbfoundedness. "That's why?!"

"It's childish and silly!" I quipped defensively. "And do I look like the type of person who would wear something like that?! And I said I had more than one reason!"

Kukai had started to laugh. "You're funny," he gasped when he stopped to breathe. "You pass!"

"I'm not joining your little parade!"

"Miss Howard," said Tadase, looking up at me sadly and so cutely. "Never, ever...?"

The look he was giving was so cute that I felt like I was going to throw up. I ran out before they could say anything else.

"She's totally different and exciting!" I heard Yaya giggle. "So, what are we going to do?"

"I say...," I heard Nadeshiko mutter mischeviously. "We're never giving up on her!"

Just great.

I was just chilling with Ran and Miki on my bed at home, Ran playing with my hair and Miki sketching something. I noticed that it had started to look like a portrait of some sort, which perked my interest.

"Can I see your drawing, Miki?" I asked.

She seemed to consider, then nodded. Looking at it, I noticed it had begun to look a bit like me.

"Who's this of?" I asked.

"You," said Miki like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"Why me?"

"You look...," Miki said, seeming to search for words. "Like a painting come to life, ancient and beautiful. Kind of like a killer princess. You provide a lot of muse." She smiled at me.

"Are you sure that you don't regret not joining the Guardians?" Ran asked suddenly, like it had been bothering her for a long time.

"Nah, it's cool," I sighed dismissively.

"But now you can't be with your prince!" She whined.

"For the last fucking time, I don't love him!" I screeched, making them back up in mock fear. "If I liked anyone, _anyone at all_, it would be-"

I cut myself of, thinking of that Ikuto dude. I shut up.

Although I didn't want to admit, I felt like Ikuto and I had some strange connection. The instant I looked into those eyes of his, I felt like...

I felt like I was home after the longest journey, exhausted and ready to give up. But he was there to pick up the pieces.

"Argh, I don't care, I DON'T CARE!" I yelled, smothering myself with my pillow. When I stopped cursing myself for ever thinking that way, I looked up, right in the face of the green egg.

_I wonder what will hatch out of that one,_ I thought while sighing. It's better just not to get close to anyone to protect them. After all, I felt as if I could snap any day now. Like I was hanging on tightly to a thinning rope that hung of a cliff. I would burst any day...

"Today is the day," Seiichiro said the next morning while staring at me. "Today I will give Upperclassman Aileen the letter that contains all of my feelings!" He gripped the envelope with a heart sticker tightly. "Um-!" He said as he burst from behind a corner.

I started to turn, but was caught off guard by Nadeshiko glomming onto my arm and giggling, "Got you!"

"What the-," I said, turning on her with a glare. "What do you want?!"

"Let's walk to class together," she said with a kind look on her face.

"Um, why?"

"Because I want us to be friends!" She said so loudly people in the hallway turned to stare.

And began to whisper. Things like 'now she's friends with a Guardian?!'. You know, stuff like that. So of course I shrugged her off and started to walk away. But when I entered my class, I got a full-on assault by the three chikas.

"You rejected joining the Guardians?! Wow, that's the first I've heard of someone who doesn't want to join!" Said Manami while squealing like a pig.

Oh, jeez. So the news was getting around. I was hoping to keep that to myself. Don't have to draw any extra attention to myself. But, _now look at what's happened_! People were whispering more than usual. There was no escape!

"All right, class, settle!" Chirped our homeroom teacher as she came into the room. "I know spring vacation starts the day after tomorrow and you're all excited, but we are still at school here!"

I sighed. I (again) just wanted to go home. This was boring the heck out of me, and, well...

My birthday was just after spring break...

"I don't want to change classes," Wakana groaned in front of me. "I want to stay with you guys!"

What a whiner. But some people were starting to accept me. I guess I wanted to stick with them...

Nooooo! Don't tell me my noble Vampire blood and heritage are just turning into the life of a teenage girl?! Really, I kind of wanted to be accepted, but I also wanted to be a good Vampire, like my parents. They were the best of our kind.

I guess someone else I wanted to be was a good Vampire. I snorted. Maybe that would be a neat Guardian Character.

Inside of my heart was a chill. In that instant, I got that fluttery and excited feeling of what seems to be called Character Change. But nothing was different. I was starting to wonder if I actually jinxed it.

"Hmm," I said while walking out of the school grounds at two forty. "I wonder if more people will favor me in the new classes..."

"Don't worry!" Said Ran, coming in front of my face with a huge grin. "You can just Character Change and introduce yourself with a bang!"

"I don't think you get it; that would be bad."

They looked confused.

"If a Vampire like me gets too close to people, the scent of their blood could overwhelm me and I could snap. I'm also in deep hell with the Vampire Council and even some Royals. They have the ability to destroy everything I care about."

"Is that why... you distance yourself?" Miki asked, extremely upset.

"I thought you knew. You came from my heart, after all."

"Your heart doesn't believe in that or want to do that. It's ignorant to the way your mind works," Ran said, tiny tears rolling down her cheeks.

"Whoa, whoa!" I said, flustered. "What's with the water works?! That's just how Vampires live, nothing to get upset about!"  
"But your family-"

"That was a long time ago, and I don't know who did it," I quipped bitterly. "People die. That's how life works."

"But one or two close friends wouldn't hurt anyone, right?" Ran asked, hope clear on her face.

"Did you call me?" Said a low and creepy voice right behind me.

My first thought was _Wolfram! _so I snapped back and tripped over my legs. But then I only saw Nadeshiko, giggling at my reaction.

"I can be a best friend!" She said cheerily, and I prayed that was all she heard about the conversation. "We can get together over breaks and everything!"  
"You're just saying that to get me to be a Guardian," I sighed while getting up and dusting myself off.

"You can tell?" She asked, still smiling. "How?"

"I don't seem like the type of person you'd hang out with by choice," I said, staring her down.

"Oh, that's not true!" I didn't buy it.

"Nadeshiko...," said Temari, suddenly emerging from behind her silky hair. "You should bring out _that..._"

"Okaaaay, I'm gonna use a secret weapon on Aileen...," she said while shuffling in her red plaid cape pocket. She pulled out a picture of a sleeping Tadase.

"Um...," I said, at a loss for words. "Why would I want this?"

"You like Tadase, right?" She said while grinning.

"What- why would you assume that?"

"You confessed to him the other day! In front of the entire student body," she added on a side note. "Look, look! I have more pictures of him in secret profile! And they can all be yours if you join the Guardians!"

I was stupefied. The only reason I'd want pictures of anybody is for voodoo. So, I closed my eyes with a cruel smile, and then heard Nadeshiko shriek.

"What in the world?!" She yelled, stomping out the flames that 'magically' ignited on the photos.

"Oh, what a shame," I said teasingly.

She looked at me for a second, and then smiled again. "Fine then, I'll support your love without tactics!"

"Seriously, I don't like him that way."

"You know, his birthday is coming up soon." Why does everyone ignore me on this subject? "This is a good chance!"

"For what?" I sighed.

"To get his feelings mutual! We could...," she trailed off, furrowing her eyebrows as she tried to come up with an idea. "I got it! We could bake him sweets!"

Something twitched within me, and in my bag.

"A pastry?" I am a master chef and baker, but I have to lay low about that, too. So might as well outright lie. "I can't. I'm all thumbs in the kitchen."

"It's okay!" She giggled, getting excited. "I'll help you! So, go home to drop off your stuff and get an apron. We'll meet back here in twenty minutes!"

"But-" She cut me off by tying my pinky with her's.

"It's a promise!"

There was a chill within me as our skin came into contact. I instantly knew that this person was hiding something.

But before I could say anything, she was already running off.

"Damn it!" I yelled. "I can't break a promise! It's against the Vampire law!"

"So you're trapped!" Giggled Ran. "Are you excited?!"

"No, it's really troublesome." I heaved a sigh. "Let's go."

I realized I was getting that 'I'm being watched' feeling again. I ignored it. It wasn't anyone important.

"Huh," I muttered half an hour later. "This is the home-ec room. We can't be in here without permission."

"It's okay," Nadeshiko grinned, wearing a kimono-like apron. "Guardian's privilege."

I hmphed and flipped my scarlet hair over my right shoulder, showing my maid-like black and red apron.

"Let's get started. We'll make a fruit tart."

"Why a fruit tart?" I asked. She smirked at me mysteriously.

"They're Tadase's favourite. We'll start by creaming the butter."

"She sure is bossy," Miki whispered to me. Like hell.

As we went through all the necessary steps, me lagging a bit on purpose, I couldn't help but feel a little close to this person. She was very kind and helpful, even though I knew everything already. She was very patient. And we had laughs along the way (well, I snorted sarcastically instead of laughing). It was like... we were friends.

So I didn't think of this tart as a gift for Tadase. I thought of it as a symbol of my possible first friend.

When I plopped the baked tart down on the counter, wearing cute bat oven mits, I announced it was done to her with a grin. She clapped for me and my accomplishment, which didn't look half bad.

I was surprised when she suddenly turned for the door, as if to leave. "Where are you going?" I asked, hoping I didn't sound too needy.

She winked at me. "To get some fruit for decoration."

She left me alone with my whacked out Guardian Charas, who were smiling at me hopefully. "Maybe you can become friends," said Ran.

"Becoming true friends with someone is impossible for me," I said while leaning on the counter, my triple D cup boobs squishing against me. "Plus, I don't think I'm kind enough for her to think of me as a friend."

_"But you can be~!" _Drawled a smiley and girly voice from behind us. We all looked back in surprise to see the green egg floating in midair. _"From someone stubborn and unkind into someone kind and cheerful! Chara ch-"_

"Got it!" Said a deep and sexy male voice that I recognized.

I whirled around to find Ikuto Tsukiyomi on the windowsill, holding my green egg between his thumb and forefinger.

"YOU!" I hissed with rage. "You're that cat-eared perverted alien king!"

"What the-" He said, seeming at a loss for words.

"How did you even get up here?!"

"'Cause I'm a cat."

"Stay away from me!" I yelled, backing away as he came forward. "I'll blow the rape whistle!" I don't have one, really, but it seemed like an accurate response at the time.

"_Kyaa, kyaa, help me!_" Said the green egg in pure distress.

"I wonder...," Ikuto said deeply, a mischievous grin spreading on his face. "Could this be the Embryo?" He slid his tongue over the side of the green egg, making me think_ ew_.

_"Oh my goodness, for some reason, I feel violated!_" Yelled the green egg. Oh, my poor egg...

"Give it back!" I growled while leaning back on my legs, getting ready to spring. I did indeed spring, but I somehow managed to stumble along the way. He pulled the egg out of my reach, causing our faces to come very close together. The looks of shock on our faces were identical. In that instant, I realized what a deep, sad blue his eyes really were.

He lost his footing and careened forward, knocking us both down. The egg rolled away, forgotten. We stared at each other's shocked faces for what felt like forever. His big, manly hands somehow seemed to be trapped in my silky hair, and neither of us moved.

"What do you want?" I finally asked, my eyebrows pulling down. "What, exactly, is and 'Embryo'?"

He looked at me. Just looked. In all my life, I have never felt this close to a person emotionally before. Physically, too, 'cause he was squashing my boobs and that kind of hurt...

"Get away from her, cat theif!" Yelled Nadeshiko, bursting into the room. Ikuto looked at her as if he had been caught sexually assualting me. "Aileen, are you alright?!"

I squeezed myself out from under him, breathing that I was fine. I scrambled as far away from him as possible, my face feeling like it was on fire from blushing so much. _What the fuck was I just doing?!_

"Temari! Character Change!" Nadeshiko yelled.

"Right. Chin, ton...,"

"CHAAAAAAAN!" Screamed Nadeshiko with a warrior cry as a naginata appeared in her hands and slashed it in Ikuto's direction. "I'll slice you into little bits and pieces and eat you with my corn flakes!"

Oh, dang, I did not put her as having that kind of character. I was impressed, if nothing else.

Ikuto kept dodging and hopping away, his Guardian Character stuffing himself with whipped cream. He leapt on to the table where my tart rested, causing it to clatter into pieces on the ground.

"Oh, dagnabbit," was all I said, versus my Charas who were gaping with heartbroken expressions.

"Don't worry, don't worry!" Said the green egg, floating in front of me again.

"You recovered?" I asked on a side note.

"You can just..." The egg started to crack, and a girly green character burst from its shell. "... Leave it to Su!"

_**And that concludes Chapter II! A bit longer than Chapter I, but I like this chapter!**_

_**Aileen: "Post a nice review or I'll bite you!"  
**_

_**Ikuto: "Please do."**_

_**Aileen: "… *Sweat drop*"**_


	3. Chapter 3

_**Since I had spare time today, I decided to post Chapter III! In this chapter, something interesting gets established about Aileen that will definitely take a toll on future chapters…**_

_**Aileen: "What is it?! It better not have anything to do with that perverted cat!"**_

_**Crimrose4all: "It depends on how you look at it. It does and it doesn't."**_

_**Aileen: "You don't make sense."**_

_**Crimrose4all: "Says the person who keeps being the biggest tsundere ever."**_

_**Aileen: "That was your choice! *Cries* I just wanna be me!"**_

_**Crimrose4all: "You are… I just happen to control that person."**_

_**Almost everyone: "You're doing a good job."**_

_**Aileen: "WHAT?! HOW COULD YOU SAY THAT?! A MIGHTY VAMPIRE SUCH AS I-"**_

_**Disclaimer: I do not own Shugo Chara.**_

_**Aileen: "No one ever listens to me!"**_

Chapter III: It's All Just A Joke

"Leave it to Su," chirped my newest Chara. "I'll settle it crisply and fluffily!"

Wow, I wanted to be a totally girly person like this? She looked like one of those Swiss girls, with little wispy blonde curls of hair escaping from her white bandana. Her dress kind of looked like a maid's, except it was green. She had green lace-me-ups tying around her legs, and her emerald eyes smiled gently. A large green club was on the side of her bandana, to complete my whole weird card theme.

"Chip!" A giant whisk appeared in my hand. "Syrup!" A huge bowl of whipped cream in front of me. "Whipped Cream!" I started to whirl the whisk in the bowl, figuring that she had Chara Changed due to that back seat feeling. A flood of whipped cream poured everywhere, filling the room to the brim and bursting the door open. Everyone was carried away by the huge wave, me yelling at Su the entire time.

She floated beside me (who was being whisked away) and heaved a relieved sigh. "That was close!"

"Close to what?" I demanded. "We're being drowned by damn whipped cream!"

The flood eased down in the hallway, where we were spat on to the floor, covered in white gooey stuff.

"Ew," I commented, peeking down my shirt. "It's even making my boobs sticky. That's just not right."

I looked up with a sigh, then felt my look harden at what I saw.

It was a very pretty girl with silken blonde hair tied up in high pigtails. It flowed thinly to her waist, and her eyes were a snapping violet. She seemed pretty short, her chest a decent size (not _me_ decent, but still), and her skin pale. She shot me a glare.

What the hell? I have never seen her before, and she wants to glare. Although I didn't know what for, I glared right back. She huffed and marched over to Ikuto, who was also covered in sticky white splotches.

"Ikuto!" She said with authority and familiarity (which, for some reason, kind of pissed me off). "Why are you messing around?!"

"Utau...," Ikuto mumbled while wiping whip cream out of his eyes.

"Her third egg wasn't the Embryo, right? We don't need to be here. Let's go."

Standing up and doing the best I could to wipe the whip cream off, I sighed. "You're talking about the 'Embryo' again. Just what the hell is that?"

We were pretty much having a face-off. I was a bit taller than her, my hair definitely giving hers a run for its money. Her straw blonde was no match for mine, a colour darker than a ripe strawberry. We were both glaring, and she seemed really pissed.

"Don't pretend you don't know!" She hissed. "I know you want the Embryo, too!" I don't even know what it is. "Too bad, though. We're going to find it first. And I'll grant Ikuto's wish-"

"You've said enough," Ikuto said very sternly, wrapping his arm around her slightly. "We're leaving."

"Oh no, Aileen, look!" Yelled Ran, waving her pompoms around like a freak. "Your tart is smashed to bits!"

To be perfectly frank, I couldn't care less. It was just a pastry. So what if it fell apart? Happens all the time. With a final glare in the direction of the departing pair, I stomped into the home-ec room yet again, my converse slapping hard against the floor.

"This is terrible," Nadeshiko murmured, holding a piece of the dearly departed.

"You worked so hard..." Miki hung her head. No, really, I didn't care. I didn't work that hard.

"It's fine," I said softly to Nadeshiko, who seemed way more upset than I was.

"Do you want to try again?" She offered, looking really sad.

I shook my head, my red hair pooling around me like fresh blood. Now it really did look like a mini pastry crime scene. "We don't have the time or ingredients." Honestly, I didn't want to make one in the first place.

When they turned their attention back to the pastry, I allowed myself one heart shattered look. I didn't care that a stupid pastry broke; nothing like that. It's just... this was a symbol of something someone and I did together. A symbol that I wasn't alone. That maybe I wouldn't have to be alone anymore.

And it was smashed to bits.

Like it was fate.

"Ikuto, what are you doing?" I heard Blondie say, irritated. "Let's go."

I looked to the doorway just in time to see Ikuto's kind of guilty and apologetic look that he was giving to my back. Then he truly left me behind with his little 'accident'. Asshole.

I hated that cat-eared perverted demon king of sexual harassment...

"It's going to be okay, Aileen!" Squealed my new character eagerly. "There's still enough dough left! We can't make another tart..."

"Wait, I really don't-"

"But we can make a different pastry! Character Change!"

Suddenly I was whisked away by a wave of Su's girliness and cheeriness to the land of cookies. She made the dough fly and come down into many girly shapes (damn her) and sprinkle them with 'love'.

What a useless word.

Finally, I was freed and the cookies were done. They smelled so good and freshly baked, decorated so tidily yet perfectly with an array of sprinkles. I was astonished. So there was a Guardian Character for me to unbind each of the qualities I have to hold back. Athletics, art, and cooking slash baking.

"Wow, they look fantastic!" Nadeshiko giggled. "I bet you can't wait to give them to Tadase."

"I actually don't like him that way."

"I'll go to his house with you tomorrow," she decided herself. Wow, I was being ignored again. "Should we meet at the park oh, say, noon?"

That was early for me. Sigh. "Sure."

"Great!" She smiled warmly at me. "I think we're going to be good friends."

By the time I got home, the sun had already set, meaning my family was up and about. I was surprised to see Anthony, my 'brother', was home. Usually he was out on business for a while.

"There she is," he drawled while sitting up from the couch. "My little sister. It's been a while."

I let him envelop me in a bear hug. "You've been gone for a while."

"Investigations in the Vampire world usually go faster, but this one's a toughie." He smiled apologetically at me.

"You don't have to focus on my case," I muttered. "There are probably more Vampires that need you."

"Your case is huge. There has been nothing like this before."

"Is that Aileen?" Called Felicia. "She said _she_ was making dinner."

"I am," I yelled back just as snarkily. "I'm just going to my room for a sec."

Anthony was about to ask me why, and probably why he smelled cookies in my bag, but I was already in my room just as he opened his mouth to speak.

"Okaaaaay," I said, sitting down at my black computer desk. "Do I have to wrap them?"

"You always have to wrap a gift for the one you love!" Su announced, getting kind of fan-girly.

"I don't really-"

"What colour ribbon should we use?" Asked Miki, poofing out art supplies out of nowhere.

Wow, really?! I was cut off again!

"I vote on pink!" Yelled Ran.

"Green is cuter!" Su argued.

"Blue is for smart people...," Miki mumbled, but she was white noise compared to how the other two were going at it.

"Red," I said simply. "It's kind of my signature. You know, the hair."

"Awww," they all sighed.

I started by putting the ribbon to the blade, pressing it on with my thumb, and sliding it across the blade, making it curl. I did that numerous times, and eventually actually got to the part I hated about wrapping presents, which was all the taping and folding.

"It's done!" Ran cheered when I had taped on the last ribbon, which now spooled over the edges like a copy of my hair when it was curled.

"It looks soooooo cuuuuuute!" Su squealed while squeezing her eyes shut and flailing her arms about.

"I'm a little concerned that the folds aren't even...," Miki muttered with a pouty face.

"Shut up, I don't wrap presents every day."

"You should put a card in!" Said Ran, flapping one in my face.

"You guys just want me to do this to torture me," I sighed, taking it and poising a red pen on top of it. What to write to someone who I hardly knew or liked...

Something like, _stay strong and be a good leader. _Yeah. I'd play fortune cookie. But before I could start scribbling, I could that Ran had Character Changed with me.

"Mwahaha, you are now in my control...," Ran said evilly, making me want to ring her itty bitty neck. "Okay, 'dear prince...'" As she said the words, my hands started to move by themselves, writing the words in my loopy cursive.

"'I love you,'" Su contributed. Were all my Characters out to get me? "'Please eat these like they're me.'"

"'From the really shy girl, Aileen Howard,'" Miki snickered. My hand looped so that a little heart appeared on the card. "'I'll be waiting forever for your text message."

My rage was so pure and powerful that I threw myself out of Character Change, took the card and the three idiots, and threw them, yelling, "RETARDS!"

"As if I'd send anyone something like that, let alone someone I don't like," I hissed while writing my fortune cookie version. "Damn it, it's like the world is out to get me..."

They were all laughing all on the floor, making me steam even more. I was about to lecture them even more, but the twins suddenly burst into the room, knocking everything to silence.

"There are...," Sonata started, her amber eyes widening.

"Little people in big sister's room!" Aria finished, her eyes (also amber) gleaming with excitement.

"What?!" We all yelled as they barreled into the room, swiping the Characters off of the floor and squeezing them.

"They're like dollies!" The squealed at the same time.

"Oh, shit," I muttered, no other phrases coming to mind.

"God... Godzilla is attacking Tokyo again...!" Ran wheezed, looking like she was choking to death.

"Sonata, Aria, be gentle! They aren't toys!" They immediately stopped squeezing them, but they still held on. "Don't tell mommy or daddy or brother about this okay?!"

"Why not?" They asked, cocking their head toward each other, making themselves look even more like creepy dolls.

"Because...," I floundered, trying to think of an excuse. "This is going to be a special secret, okay? Just between us sisters."

They beamed and nodded intently. "A secret with big sis!" They yelled enthusiastically.

"Okay, so." I spun around in my red computer chair. "Why did you guys come up here anyway?"

"Mommy said she was going to cook, no matter what, and big brother cried." I sighed and told them to drop the Charas and come with me.

It was too late when we got downstairs, because Felicia had already set up her death trap, which smelled so bad it really did make your eyes water.

Except Anthony's were watering more than anyone else's. "I just come home, and I get this_ lovely _welcome..." He sniffled, then started hacking, having mistakenly inhaled the killing scent.

"Enough!" I said while running to the fridge and throwing it open (I had to step over Anthony, who had fallen out of his chair and was now sobbing on the floor). I grabbed blood baggies and threw them on the table. "We can just drink ze blood tonight," I said in a corny Dracula accent.

Of course, the horrid food was forgotten and everyone dived for the bags. They ripped into them with their teeth and started to suck.

"I can't believe we went _baggie_ for you," Felicia muttered accusingly.

I shrugged. "You didn't have to."

"I'm aware, but they're right in the fridge, versus me having to go out and search for a good meal. Do the math." She grunted while still sucking. I disposed of the death trap by throwing it out the window.

"Aren't you having some?" Asked Anthony, seeming concerned.

I shrugged again. "I only get hungry in the dead of the night, for some reason. I never get much sleep because of that."

"It's probably because you're a pure breed," Harry offered.

I just sighed and went up to my room again, leaving them to splatter blood all over the table, so much that it was like someone had been murdered there.

"Uh, sorry guys, but they want to play," I laughed nervously the next day when the twins were playing with them again.

"Don't leave us!" Ran yelled while reaching a small hand out to me.

"Bye," I sang, closing the front door behind me.

The sun blinded me again, and I popped my hood up. I know I probably looked strange to the passerby; wearing a black hoodie, black sunglasses, a red short skirt, and red high tops. But I didn't care about appearances. Especially for Tadase.

I leaned against the wall of the park entrance, present bag swinging in the breeze. Vampires have more body heat than humans (our hearts still beat, we have more blood in our system because demon blood can't sustain life well since it's the blood of the dead, our hearts work harder, our bodies get warmer than your average person) so I didn't mind my bare legs being subjected to the cold.

I looked in the direction of the trees, watching them dance in the wind. I though _blow harder_ and the wind blew harder, which made them do a hard core rock dance versus their previous sway.

Another thing one should know about me; I control all of the elements. That's how I was able to light Tadase's picture on fire by simply thinking it.

"Miss Howard," I heard a soft male voice say behind me.

_What the hell?_, I thought, turning around to see Tadase smiling at me.

"Miss Fujisaki said she suddenly couldn't make it, so I came instead." The smile continued.

"Whatever," I sighed, shoving the gift bag into his hands. "That's all." Then I started to saunter away, hands in pockets, ignoring him when he called after me.

Ugh, what was with saying 'miss' and 'mr' all the time?

-Ran-

I had successfully maneuvered out of the twin's death clutches and was clawing myself over to a safe corner. Miki and Su were shouting that I was a traitor, but I ignored them. I didn't want to be strangled to death by Godzilla incarnate.

Something on Ai's desk caught my attention, because it looked a lot like the present she was going to give the prince. I floated up to it and peeked inside, confirming with horror that it was.

"Guys, what the heck?!" I demanded, showing them the present.

"Release me, foul beast!" Miki yelled, playing along with the twin's game that they were Vampire Overlord's, just like they're sister. Miki floated next to me, huffing, then widened her eyes when she saw it.

"Oh, dang, she must've took mine," she said while laughing nervously.

"What do you mean...?" I asked, giving her a glare similar to Aileen's (which always held killing intent).

"She means," Sonata said while releasing Su, probably reading Miki's mind. "She made a present because she thought she could make hers more artistic and cared for than Aileen's. She shoved paper in the trash into it, which held the card, whatever that is. Aileen must've taken that by mistake." She finished with a flip of her pure black hair.

We were in silence a moment, then Miki muttered something about stupid five-year-old telepaths.

"Oh my God, Aileen's gonna kill us when she finds out!" I yelled, pulling my hair out of my skull.

"That's not important!" Miki hissed. "What _is _important is that Tadase doesn't see that card."

"Right!" Su said, her light face determined. "Ran and I can deliver this one to Aileen!"

"Wait, why only you two?" Miki narrowed her eyes.

"This is your punishment since it's your fault that this happened in the first place!" We yelled together. The twins smiled and waved from where they sat.

"No...," Miki whimpered, staring at her doom.

"See ya," I sang, trying to pick up the bag. But it was really heavy. Su had to help me life it off the ground, then we were off and out the window.

"I-it's so heavy...," I grunted while carrying the present through the air.

"We... have to keep... going," Su panted, probably more exhausted than me. "Until... we catch wind of... Ai..."

"Wah, oh no!" I said as the present became too strong for my small arms and slipped from my grip.

I zoomed down to it as fast as I could and barely grabbed on to the straps again. I whimpered a command to Su to help me. She grabbed on to my waist instead of the bag.

"Haaaah," she said with her eyes squeezing shut.

"Su, why are you holding _me?!_"

"Oh... no..."

The bag slipped from my grasp, so quickly that I couldn't catch it this time with our combined efforts. We still raced after it, hoping to snatch it right back up from wherever it landed.

We heard a sudden, "What the?!" And came to ground to find that it had plunked down right on Aileen's head. She rubbed it tenderly, then glared at us.

"What was that?!" She demanded.

I didn't like how her mood was already. I winced as I knew we were about to make it worse.

"Well, uh..." Su and I picked up the bag, holding it open for her to see.

"Um, what?" She asked, looking at it in confusion.

"Well, you see..."

-Aileen-

"WHAT?! The card is in the one I gave him?! AHHHHHHHH!" I screamed at the top of my lungs. "I am going to die! Oh my God, what the fuck is wrong with me?!"

"Don't beat yourself up," Ran muttered with a forced smile. "We just have to switch them."

"I don't even know where he lives!"

"We'll find out!" Su said. "We have to!"

So we spent a while sniffing around and looking around for a household of 'Hotori'. I finally caught wind of the scent, then bounded away like a cat after a mouse.

It was a pretty big house (more like huge) and it seemed really traditional Victorian (not as traditional as mine, though). There was even a huge wall surrounding it, like the home held some family fortune. Shit.

Nonetheless, I easily lumbered over the tall wall, but had a tough landing and ended up sitting on Ran and Su. After we dusted ourselves off, we began our mission. And I was going to complete it.

Stupid Characters. If they hadn't made me write that in the first place, we wouldn't be in this mess.

We were crawling under the deck like stalkers, while I was sniffing around for the area where his scent was the strongest. I caught a terrible sweet scent that I recognized well, and found that it should be Tadase's room. Crawling out from under the deck and dusting ourselves off, we found that there was a door leading right to it.

"Damn, I hate this," I hissed, creaking it open while trying to make it sound quiet.

Sure enough, in the room his Guardian cape hung on the wall and... so did the present.

"Found it," I sang as I whispered, creaking over to it on dark wooden flooring. How lucky that he wasn't even in here. I quickly made the switch and was about to take my leave when I heard something that made me cringe.

"Breaking and entering?" Said Kiseki's (ha, _Kiseki_) snooty voice from a creaking rocking chair.

"Uhm, hi," I laughed nervously, pretending to be totally nonchalant about the whole thing.

"As I expected, your third egg was not the Embryo," he sighed.

I cussed and put my hands on my hips. "What, exactly, is an Embryo? No one's giving me answers here."

"It grants the holder's wishes," he explained to me as if I were stupid. "Kind of like a magic egg. Which is why everyone is after it."

Does no one find the concept of magic, wish granting eggs, well... retarded?

Wait, that blondie said she was going to grant 'Ikuto's wish'...

This intrigued me as I rolled my weight on to one hip. I ago has a wish he wanted to be granted? What the hell could that even be?

"With that said, go find the Embryo for me, peasant!" Kiseki yelled dismissively.

But I just felt an angry vein pop out on my neck. "_Peasant...?_" I repeated in a tone that implied death. "I'll have you know-!"  
"Kiseki?" I heard Tadase's voice say as he came into the room. "Is someone there?"

Oh, shit nuggets.

I turned to face him slowly with a fake, innocent smiled on my face. "Miss Howard...?" He asked, honestly surprised. "What are you doing here?"

"Well, I was just, uh..."

"Wait!" He said, a feminine (pft!) smile spreading on his face. "Are you here to join the Guardians?! Here, let's talk outside." He led me outside to the deck where he plopped down and patted the seat next to him.

I gingerly sat down, trying to keep distance between us. "No, not really..."

His face fell a tad. "But I'd feel more assured if you joined us. Most people only have one, or at most two, Guardian Characters, but you have _three_. Your power would be great, and the search for the Embryo would go more smoothly."

"Why do you want the Embryo?" I scoffed, being rude because it seemed like he already had everything (then again, I must seem like that, but I'm technically an orphan...). "You want a wish granted?"

"Yes...," he said quietly, seeming to look far away. His eyes had a clear, strong resonance to them. "And if you fought with us, we would definitely find it first."

For some weird reason, I felt my face flush at the look he was having. What was wrong with me?! I really don't go for his type (then again, he did seem like my type just now, being all serious and all)!

When he said 'find it first', I assumed he meant before Blondie and Ikuto. It sounded like a power struggle, the one thing I hated most (besides Ikuto himself). It's struggles for power that will be the death of everyone.

"Anyway," Tadase said with a shake of his head. "Um, I never got to thank you for the gift." He looked at the one in my hands, then the one hanging in his room. His face became confused. "Um..."

"This is nothing," I said quickly while chucking it over the fence with all my strength, meaning that it went pretty far. From a bit away, I heard a yelp, like it hit a dog. Oh, sorry, puppy...

He still looked confused, but smiled at me. I knew that the one second that I was attracted to him was a once in a lifetime thing. I hate guys who are all cheery and nice. They always turn out to be naive.

I couldn't go for any guys, anyway, but it's still a nice feeling to like someone. Or so I imagine. If I did end up falling in love, which was impossible, it would be someone that could cope with my Vampire-ness. Tadase was _not_ that person.

I was still thinking about my earlier thoughts when I got home and thudded down on my bed. _If I were to love someone, it would be someone who could accept me as a Vampire_. But I doubted there was anyone on this world who would. Which might be why my parents arranged a marriage for me when I was little. But I really hated my 'fiancée'. He could go to Hell, for all I cared.

Maybe I was doomed with eternal solitude, which would really suck. I mean, I'm already used to being alone and an outcast, but for _eternity?_ I think I'd just want to die after a few years. Which was why I have to be a little bit... more social, I guess.

But I have to reasons that I won't get close to anyone. One, I could kill anyone I felt like when my temper got out of control or when I was too hungry. Two...

They would all die, leaving me behind.

Everyone knows how Vampires are supposedly executed; stake them, burn them, so on. But I was different. Normal tactics wouldn't work on me. I don't know how I can die. So I'd always, _always_ be alone.

Nonetheless, I still wanted to be a _good _Vampire, doing my job to scare humans. That scary factor is what keeps the world in balance. But I'm not that scary when it comes to it. I wished I could execute my job properly, but...

How can a Vampire that doesn't like the occult scare people?!

I guess I really did want to be a good Vampire as another self. I snorted, stirring my Guardians from their slumber in their eggs. That'd be interesting.

I stared into the darkness of my room, my eyes drooping slightly. I wanted to sleep for as long as I could, because I'd be right back up at exactly midnight, which is when I tend to get blood thirsty. Cuddling into my blankets in a curled up formation, I closed my eyes and inwardly made a wish to be a good Vampire, to make my parents proud.

Empty World went off again at six thirty a.m., jarring me from sleep. I felt crusty stuff all down my pajama shirt, so I opened my blankets and looked down at it in the morning light. Aw, man, I made a bloody mess again. I drink the baggies kind of unconsciously, so I can't be cautious about getting it everywhere and whatnot.

I was just about to get up and change as I turned off my alarm, but there was a warm object against my leg. I froze, my eyes widening and my breath stopping. Slipping out of bed very carefully and mechanically, I gently lifted my blanket covers with shaking hands.

Then screamed like a girly girl. Even in the whole 'kyaaa' tone.

Ran, Miki, and Su instantly leaped out form their eggs and whirled around, asking where the danger was. I just stared at my bed, so they followed my eyes.

Their mouths dropped open.

"Wh-what...?" Ran stuttered in disbelief.

"Oh my goodness," Su whispered.

"Um...," I whimpered, finally coming out of my silence. "Does anyone know why there is _another egg in here?!_"

The egg wiggled, like it knew it was being talked about. It looked so strange and out of ordinary compared to the other ones I've seen. It was all red and sparkly (dark sparkly, not light sparkly) and the shades of red shifted in and out in wavy patterns, as if the molecules were moving so much that we could see them. There were actually animated little bats flying through it, like it was the sky of the Netherworld.

HOLY SHIT! Ohmigodohmigodohmigodohmigod ohmigod! What the hell was going on here?! I have never seen an egg like this before!

"Guys, this egg feels...," Ran coughed.

"Weird," Miki finished.

"Are you guys okay?!" I asked, instantly worried.

"We're fine," Su whispered. "It's just that this egg feels kind of..."

"Dark," they all finished together.

I looked at the egg again, and thought of the wish I made last night. Oh no. _I wish to be a good Vampire._

"Guys," I said, hyperventilating slightly. "I don't know if this is even possible, but I think I have a Demon Guardian egg."

"Aileen!" Yelled Nadeshiko from right behind me, causing me to jump. "What's up? You seem kind of out of it today."

"Nothing!" I said a bit too quickly, which made her eyebrows furrow with concern. "Aha, I just... didn't get much sleep, is all."

I refused to tell them about my fourth egg. What would they think if they saw an egg like that? Surely that it wasn't normal. That would lead to suspicions about me, then we'd have a problem.

Since today was the last day of school before spring break, the Guardians were holding a little closing ceremony thing. I never got the point, but they're in charge, so whatever. Nadeshiko had come to talk with me just before it started, although I'm not sure why.

"Oh, man, I have to go now!" She gasped while looking at a girly little purple watch tied around her left wrist. "Make sure you stay for the whole ceremony, Aileen!"

That left me with questions, but she was already gone. I sighed and hung my head. Things just kept motoring along.

Our class line shuffled in to the auditorium, a place of torturous memories for me. There was already a bunch of cliques and stuff already seated in their respective aisles, including that Saaya chick who always sat with the popular bunch, who tended to jump between the aisles and chat during intermissions and whatnot. I just sat in whatever empty seats were left at the back due to not wanting to gather attention.

Today, all of the band geeks and computer nerds were in the back row. I just didn't care, because I think of myself as someone with zero social status. I'm just there. I smiled slightly while reminiscing. It's always been that way.

I sat at the very end, close to the doors to make an escape if I had to. What looked to be a tuba player that I sat beside seemed shocked, then very flustered. He tried his hardest to ignore me, but I could feel him staring when he thought I couldn't see.

Tadase was on the stage, making announcements about changes that will be coming when spring break is over, and that we had to be careful when doing fun stuff. A teacher came up and took the sheet of paper he was holding away from him, and Tadase sat down in the back with the rest of the Guardians.

"We will leave you off with the final announcement of the Guardian posts. King's chair: Tadase Hotori." Tadase stood and bowed slightly. There was loud waves of applause. "Queen's chair: Nadeshiko Fujisaki." Nadeshiko stood and curtsied, receiving applause as well. "Jack's chair: Kukai Souma." Kukai stood and gave the thumbs up. "Ace's chair: Yaya Yuiki." Yaya waved chipperly.

I smiled secretly to myself (except it was a creepy smile and tuba kid flinched away). So they realized that it was futile to try and get me to join. I stood suddenly, making the entire back row flinch. I was almost ready to leave when I heard something that stopped me right in front of the door.

"And this year," the teacher at the microphone said. "There will be another post added to the Guardians." Hushed murmurs skittered through the crowd. "The new chair of the Joker belongs to... Aileen Howard!"

A spotlight shone on my back and I felt a lot of eyes turn to stare. I slowly turned around, my eyes widened in bewilderment and rage. What the hell?!

Slowly, very, very loud applause started to threaten to make me go deaf. I actually got a standing ovation. I stood there, literally like a deer in headlights, with my arms at my sides, my lips parted, and eyebrows furrowed.

"WHAT?!" I screamed in frustration.

This just keeps getting weirder and weirder. What the heck is a Joker?!

_**Taadaa, Aileen has officially been named the Joker! Notice the pun about the chapter name and that little tidbit… *Wink***_

_**Ikuto: "Leave a nice review… or I just might harass you."**_

_**Aileen: "SAVE YOURSELVES!"**_


	4. Chapter 4

_**These updates are going very fast, but as I said before Chapter I, I already had them all written down and was just editing. But I only have a few actually complete, and some of them are filler episodes from the anime. Regardless, here's Chapter IV!**_

_**Aileen: "I'm getting sick of this very quickly. I'm doing so many things I don't want to!"**_

_**Crimrose4all: "Oh, admit it already. You love it."**_

_**Yaya: "You love it."**_

_**Aileen: "It's like the world's out to get me! What the hell!"  
**_

_**Tadase: "It's not so bad, Miss Howard. I'm really glad that you joined the Guardians!"**_

_**Aileen: "I WAS FORCED, GODDAMMIT!"**_

_**Disclaimer: I do not own Shugo Chara.**_

_**Aileen: "I will suck out everyone's blood if this does not stop!"**_

_**Crimrose4all: "Nice try. You don't drink human blood anymore."**_

Chapter IV: Dark Heart

"What the heck is wrong with you people?!"

The Guardians turned their attention to me and my ranting as soon as I burst into the Royal Garden in a rage.

"I can name a few things," Kukai said while stuffing his face with a brownie.

"I lurve Nadeshiko's homemade brownies!" Yaya giggled through a mouthful.

"You're not getting the point!" I slammed my hand down on the wooden table, making the silver platters filled with snacks and tea shake. My hair was probably getting into Kukai's face, but I honestly didn't care. "You made me a member of this little club without even asking. And I'm the Joker, whatever that is. Fix. This."

"It can't be taken back," Nadeshiko said simply while elegantly sipping her tea.

"Besides, the Joker has special duties!" Yaya yelled while waving her hands around like a kid.

Snorting, I turned my attention to her and raised an eyebrow. "Like what?"

Kukai waved my hair out of his face and stood up to look me in the eye. "Joker is basically a 'trump card'. You're the Joker, or trump card, because you have three Guardian Characters for better fighting potential." I flinched a bit when he said 'three Guardian Characters', but he continued on. "It's great, so that's why you're here. That is all." He finished with biting a huge chunk out of another brownie.

"And why should I fight with you?" I asked with a cruel tone of voice, which made everyone's faces fall a bit.

"Please," Nadeshiko said with a pleading look. "Not many people have Guardian Characters, so sometimes the chairs don't even get filled. But now you're here, and they are all filled. The fifth Guardian is supposed to be someone with three Guardian Characters to become the Joker."

"Um, okay...?"

"The rest of us have really boring duties, like paperwork," Yaya sighed.

"The Joker only has one important duty that only you can accomplish," Kukai nodded. "So it should be easy."

"Er..."

"And now, finally being shown for the first time..." Yaya and Kukai reached behind the table with a red Guardian cape. "Aileen's Guardian cape!"

"There's an egg holder inside, for convenience!" Kukai smirked.

"Aw, hell no!" I yelled, snatching it from them then throwing it at them.

"Don't worry, Miss Howard," said Tadase kindly, coming up behind me. "You only have to wear it to certain events." I kept grumbling, so he continued. "Let's try our best together, okay?"

"Just like a prince," I snorted sarcastically, but everyone cringed.

Tadase suddenly went silent and bowed his head so his bangs hid his eyes. "Prince...?" He mumbled softly, but it had a deadly tone.

"Uh oh," Nadeshiko said while putting a hand over her mouth and shaking her head.

"Aw, jeez, here we go," Kukai said with an eye roll.

"Did you just call me... prince...?" Tadase continued to hiss. "You called me something like that..."

A tiny gold crown popped on Tadase's head. He flipped the white wooden table into the bushes, making tea and brownies scatter everywhere as he yelled, "DON'T CALL ME 'PRINCE'!"

"_What the hell?!_" I demanded, totally lost.

"I should've warned you," Nadeshiko sighed.

"Ohhh, he's losing control again! I'm getting excited!" Yaya squealed.

"Subjects!" Tadase yelled while pointing at Kukai who said something like, "Who, me?" "I am not something as petty as a prince! I AM THE KING!"

Of gayness, sure. What the hell was this?

"And only the king can obtain the embryo!" He yelled, then started to laugh manically.

"Um, don't tell me that what you wish for...," I started while narrowing my eyes as I trailed off.

He squeezed his hand into a fist and shed an evil grin. "I want to conquer the world!"

... That's evil, Tadase...

"It's been a while since the king came out," Kukai chuckled with a whistle.

"Don't worry," Nadeshiko said while patting my back. "He'll be back to normal soon."

"Holy shit, he destroyed the image I had of him just now..."

This is what I'm getting into?!

"Are you guys actually trying to _help him_ achieve his goal?!" I asked while whirling to face them all.

"Um, yeah," Yaya said as if it were obvious.

"Why?!"

"Because it's fun!" They all yelled at once with huge smiles on their faces.

…

"Come on, Tadase, it wasn't that bad!"

Tadase sniffled a little in the corner where he was curled up into a ball. I was still a little bit, well, freaked out by his earlier Character Change. He seemed depressed about it, that was for sure.

"That's how I become after I Character Change... You're disappointed in me, aren't you, Miss Howard?" Tadase mumbled from his corner.

"Um, not necessarily disappointed. More... surprised than anything, I guess." Surprised was an understatement. I was wigged.

"That's, uh, how I get when I Character Change...," Tadase continued in a quiet voice. "My personality isn't originally strong enough for the King chair..."

"Mmm-hmm," Yaya agreed quickly. "He's actually a really shy little guy."

"Indeed," Nadeshiko nodded. "He doesn't like being in front of large crowds, so his character changes when he speaks."

"Hmm...," I mumbled, thinking of how I've kind of already picked up on this.

"Right. That's why... I wished hard... to be someone different from myself," Tadase sniffed. "So my Guardian Character was born from that wish."

"So I'm naturally Tadase's self he wants to be," Kiseki sniffed haughtily.

My eyes widened in surprise. That's how my Characters were born. So, in a way, we were all the same. I had to put my hand over my mouth to keep a noise, that would've sounded like a choked sob, from coming out. It didn't matter if I was a Vampire here and now. Right now, I guess we are all people who have lost our way.

I wasn't alone in this moment.

Moving my hands from my mouth, I gripped the place on my chest where my beating heart was. I wanted more of these moments, where I could feel accepted.

"Hey," I murmured quietly. Everyone turned their attention from teasing and cheering up Tadase to me. "I want to try... this position of Joker."

…

-Ikuto-

"A girl with three Guardian Eggs, huh...?"

I instantly tensed up as I realized that they were talking about Aileen. And then thought about the last time I saw her, _I_ was the one to make her make a face like that. Like she had just lost a ray of hope. I have no clue why, but I felt... sorry. Like these feelings would just burst out of my chest.

"She'll be a strong rival, huh, Utau?" Continued the voice from the darkness of the night that I knew well.

"As if," Utau snorted, her blonde hair blowing in the breeze. "A little girl who can't even Character Transform is no match for me."

In the limited light that the tall building provided, I could see her face was a mask of insult, like she was angry that they even suggested the idea.

"It doesn't matter how many Guardian Characters they have," she sighed, swiping some bangs away. "If they don't know how to use them, they pose no threat."

But this was Aileen. The first day we met, she radiated some strange dark power. She made the earth shatter beneath me. And the way she pounced at me to steal her egg back was lethal. She may not know anything about Guardian Characters, but she could probably put Utau in a hospital if she felt like it.

The dark voice chuckled. "You always show such confidence. I'll leave it to you. The boss is expecting you to deliver the Embryo."

I glared his way as Utau fidgeted uncomfortably and stared at her Guardian Eggs. "You have to work for Easter," the voice warned. "You signed a contract."

"I know," she mumbled, sadness tainting her tone.

"We don't need Little-Girl's-Hands help," snorted another voice from the dark. "Leave everything to me... Preparations have already begun. I give you my word that the Embryo will be delivered."

I turned away from the whole conversation, letting my thoughts travel wherever they wanted to. Sadly, that was back to Aileen. And that moment where I had accidentally landed on top of her. The way I could see into her golden eyes frightened me a bit. They seemed so sad and...

And lonely. And filled with tears that could never be sad.

_You added to that problem_, a voice whispered into my head. It was probably my conscience riding on me. Or maybe something else that I didn't want to think about.

My eyebrows furrowed in irritation. Why should I care about that? I have problems of my own.

But it bothered me that her eyes held no light in them. As if it had been stolen away and she couldn't get it back. There was definitely an iron wall between me and everyone else, but it's like she's breaking through it without even trying.

I stood from the stone staircase suddenly, having made up my mind.

"Ikuto?" Utau asked, surprised by my sudden action. "Where are you going?"

"...To repay the debt," I whispered as I walked away from my own darkness.

…

-Aileen-

"Ahhhh," I sighed contentedly as I stepped out of the shower. "That feels the best."

My Characters were sitting patiently on the toilet, talking about totally random stuff and arguing about colours (what the heck?). Ran floated up to my face and fixed my wet bangs so that they would dry slightly positioned over my left eye, like they always were.

"Thank you," I mumbled with a little grin.

"Oh, don't do that," Miki said in warning. "You're ruining the picture."

I made a face. "You had better not be drawing me naked."

She looked away quickly, being caught red-handed. So I quickly slipped on my very fitting black towel dress with red fluffs and thumped down the stairs.

"Shower's empty," I called to the living room where everyone was watching the twins... do something. "What are they doing?"

"Singing with the TV," Felicia giggled at her two daughters. "They're imitating Utau Hoshina."

"Who?"

"Come see."

I'll admit that the name seemed familiar, but I didn't expect to see that blondie that was with Ikuto singing a live performance on TV. She was pretty good, too, but I didn't expect her to be an idol.

"Cute, isn't she?" Felicia continued. "She doesn't have that mature beauty like you do, but she's cute. She's a sixteen year old model-turned-singer."

I smirked when I found out I held a couple of years over her, though I don't know why.

Sighing, I began to tromp back up the stairs, hearing Anthony enthusiastically cheer on his little sisters. I opened the dark wood door to my bedroom and entered to the familiar smell of... well, me.

The familiar hard wood floor with little carpets here and there and red wallpaper with black floral designs welcomed me as they have for almost thirteen years. I could still see the slight peeling away of wallpaper in the corner where the computer desk was that I did when I got bored in sixth grade. My bookshelves stacked with books and little reading recliners near them that had scratches down the sides thanks to the cat I had when I was ten (Anthony ended up pretty much eating her for dinner, which made me very upset). I didn't change much about it, except for bigger beds. It was about a twin princess bed, with a black canopy and iron bed frame.

My new red egg (possibly a demon egg) sat on my desk in a basket that I managed to find with a bunch of insanely soft little towels. It wriggled every now and then, pretty much when my instincts about something kicked it. So I supposed it really was linked to my Vampiric nature.

Unscrewing the milk bottle cap I snagged from the fridge before coming up here, I stepped in to my small balcony with the white awning. I leaned against the railing, not really cold even though the spring air could nip at the skin because of my extra body heat. I gulped down half the bottle in a short amount of time.

"How ladylike," Miki muttered. I shot her a glare and she shut up.

"I can't believe that Blondie's an idol," I said while idly sipping it now. "Does that mean that the kitty king of sexual harassment is her boyfriend?" I have no idea why, but that bothered me.

All of a sudden, Ikuto swung down from the awning and said, "Wrong."

I spat out my milk and he dodged it easily, swinging up, then down and landed gracefully on his feet. He looked different than when I last saw him, but that's probably because he was wearing casual stuff. Just dark jeans, a white tee shirt, a black hoodie that was slightly unzipped and a silver cross swinging from a long chain. Damn it, this guy had good taste in my book...

"What are you doing here?" I demanded while coughing up the remnants of my milk.

"You know, drinking milk will not make your boobs any bigger." He looked down at my large chest and smirked. "Not that you need it."

"Fuck off."

"Whoa, this is a profanity free zone, kid."

"I'm not a kid, and this is my room. I decide whether it's profanity free or not."

He looked past me into my bedroom and smiled slightly. "I can see that. But I'm not here to talk about your swearing issues."

I crossed my arms. "Then why are you here?"

He lifted his right shoulder kind of shyly, and said, "No reason..."

I felt my face flush as I recalled the last time we saw each other, and how our faces had been so close that our breath intermingled. I shrugged slightly and looked out into the night. "None of my eggs were the Embryo, anyway." I winced slightly as I thought of the fourth egg.

He raised an eyebrow and shook his head. Suddenly, he held out a plastic bag that smelt of a lot of sweet things from behind his back.

"What's this?" I asked.

"It's for you," said his Guardian Character, suddenly popping out from behind his hair. "To 'repay the debt', he says."

"The debt...? Oh...!" I said as I realized what he was talking about. "You mean that tart I was making?"

"Um, yeah," he said, looking away.

I was confused. Maybe he was doing this for an apology. The bag was filled with a bunch of treats and candy, like he bought so much because he didn't know what kind I liked.

This was so sweet, I thought suddenly. He went to all this trouble just to pay me back...

"Well, see you," said his Character as he started to turn away.

"Wait!" I called. He turned his head to look at me with quirked eyebrows.

I smiled more warmly than I had in years. "Thank you. This is sweet."

His body fully turned to scrutinize me in amazement and bewilderment. I felt his eyes linger slightly on my wet hair that clung to me like fresh blood, and my eyes that gleamed like golden flames. He nodded at me, his face going slightly red. From the cold or from blushing, I didn't know.

"By the way," I said while slipping the bag on to my elbow. "Why _do _you want the Embryo? What's your wish?"

He looked at me with an expression I couldn't place, then rubbed his hand across his jaw. "Fine, I'll only tell you," he said while reaching for my face.

I flinched away, but he said, "It's my secret, right? Come closer."

"I don't get why I should. It's just us."

Growing impatient, he muttered, "Do you want to know it or not?"

Sighing, I let his hands reach up and grab my face. They flinched slightly, probably from my irregular heat. He pulled the right side of my face close to his mouth, and I realized I was blushing so much that I would probably spontaneously combust in a few seconds.

But instead of him whispering something, he bit my damn ear, sending shrill down my spine and making me want to giggle from how it tickled. But I jumped away and started to curse.

"I tricked you," he teased with a genuine smile.

"You ass!" I yelled, probably too loud because I heard Felicia ask me if everything was okay up here.

"It's fine, it's fine!" I called back. Then I made shooing motions to Ikuto.

"Seriously, though-"

"You weren't serious?!" I asked in fury.

He gave me a look, but continued. "Don't meddle with the Embryo. The people from Easter have already begun to take action... And if you continue to ally yourself with the kiddy king, you and I will be enemies." He leaped gracefully from my railing and into the forest that surrounded the house.

Ugh, asshole. And to think that I though he was nice. I glared at the place where he last stood, then stomped into my room.

I tossed the bag of goodies on my computer desk then sat down in my chair and stared at them. What he did for me was really nice, though. He didn't have to do this, and spend money on me. The thought made me feel all warm and fluttery inside, but I pushed the feeling away and looked inside the bag.

There was a lot of chocolate stuff, making me extremely happy. I loved all kinds of chocolate things, versus vanilla that always felt too... light. I liked rich things. I shuffled around in it a bit, then came up with a can of chocolate wafer sticks.

"What?!" I demanded, a smile breaking my cool facade. "Oh, God, I love these things!" My Guardian Characters smiled at me as I dug in and shoved one in my mouth, letting it sit there like a cigar. "Oh my God, I love him for this!"

I went silent when I realized what I just said, because the three mouseketeers looked at me in surprise. "I-I mean... no, I'm just grateful!" I said quickly, more to myself than them. "Vampires can't love humans, no matter what. And I'm the new Vampire Overlord, so bite me."

With those words, the fourth egg started to shake and shudder, making me flip and shove away from the desk. I heard cracking sounds, then a crack started to casually show on the egg, filling my room with red and black light. Little phantom bats flew out, and eventually the egg opened to reveal my new Character.

She opened her eyes to look at me, and I caught my breath. Her eyes were that of a cat's, and they were redder than my hair. Like her egg, the colours of red in her eyes flowed and ebbed like the molecules were moving in them. She was completely framed by a silky waterfall of pure silver hair, and it slightly fell over her left eye, like mine. She had a weird black tail coming from her behind, and black tiny bat wings fluttered on her back. On her tiny legs were black fishnets and black lace-me-ups that hung suspended in midair. On her body was a red and black corset with a poofy skirt flaring out. She had little black gloves on her hands, and she let them hang as if she were an inanimate puppet.

"Um." Was all I could say. She looked like a little vampire. Legit.

"... I am Scarlet," she said quietly while glancing around. "The Vampire you wish to be. That said, I need blood."

Oh my God, she even had to drink blood... that was insane. I didn't know what else to do, so I held out my pointer finger. Sure enough, she bit down on it and was done in a couple of seconds. I hardly even felt it, but I could see the tiniest two holes showing little red dots.

Wow, I just had my blood sucked from a very tiny person...

"Um, hi," Ran said, looking at her weirdly.

Scarlet nodded. Okay, so she was very quiet. A nice change, if you ask me. Watching her through narrowed eyes, I continued to munch on my lovely wafers.

"You feel more grateful for those simple treats than you wish to admit," Scarlet said with an eyebrow raised. Damn it, so this one could read my heart.

"... Not really," I munched, realizing that I was already done about three. "These wafers are good, though."

"And fattening."

"It's not like I can gain weight."  
"Ah, true."

This one really was like a mini me. Oh, man, I was already half way done my wafers!

My cell phone suddenly blipped from where I tossed it on my bed. I picked it up and pressed the middle button to see what the text said. I was shocked to find out that Yaya had texted me. She said that there was Guardian duties tomorrow, and I had to be there.

How did you even get my number?! I demanded back in my red font.

Seeeecreeeet! She texted back in baby pink. I could picture her sing-song voice saying those words so easily...

"I'm going to bed," I groaned uneasily, still watching Scarlet with a keen eye.

After slipping on my new night gown (or night slip, since it was so thin), I flopped on my bed, getting snug. Scarlet was just chilling on the desk, like she was already used to being here.

"Ran, can you get the light?" I asked, rubbing my eyes.

"'Kay," she said tiredly. The light switched off, plunging my room into darkness. And guess what? Scarlet's eyes glowed in the dark. I watched her blink, because it looked so entirely weird.

Now I officially have four Guardian Characters, and one's probably going to turn out evil. Oh, the future would be a sight to behold.

Letting my mind wander wherever it felt, it came to Ikuto. He was a bastard, that was for sure, but he was a hot bastard. And kind of sweet. I hardly knew anything about him, though. It's not like I liked him or anything. That would be stupid, and it would end badly. It always does. I mean, take Twilight for example. They almost came to destruction because of the baby. Huh.

But I felt like I saw... something familiar in his eyes. I know I've never seen him before in my life. Trust me, I'd remember. Oh, well. I'd better sleep, since I have to leave early tomorrow for these Guardian duties.

…

"You got it?" I asked while pointing a finger at Scarlet. "You cannot let anyone see you."

"Roger," she said with a sarcastic salute. Dang, she was rude.

"Then let's motor," I said while slipping on my converse and creeping out the door.

The sun was shining brightly today, so the sunglasses were needed. I didn't bother with my uniform, since it was spring break. But people did do double takes of me when I walked by. That's what I get for wearing a Victorian style black and white frilly shirt, black jeans, and black sunglasses. I probably even looked like a Vampire right now. Oh, well.

Yaya texted me again during the walk to ask me if I was coming, because everyone was already there. I sighed and flew my fingers across my keypad saying that, yes, I was coming and being a Guardian was a pain in the butt. In return, I got a smiley face sticking its tongue out (this: XP). Bitch.

I had no idea how I was supposed to get in the gates, because it was supposed to be closed for spring vacay. But they opened automatically, as if the one operating the system knew who I was and why I was here. I glared at it, but continued on my way.

Trees were almost budded up now, making me realize how little time passed and my daily routine has been destroyed. I was relieved, more than anything. That routine was boring the hell out of me.

I opened the doors to the Royal Garden without an invite, and everyone was already in their individual seats. I think they were wearing casual clothes, but they also wore the capes. The stupid, stupid capes...

"Good morning, Miss Howard," Tadase called to me with a smile. "Sorry to make you come in so early."

"It's, uh, no big deal." I don't know why, but I felt kind of guilty. Last night Ikuto and I were together, and we're enemies. Traitorous was a good description.

Scarlet was quietly obeying and staying out of sight, but I could see her from her perch on an apple tree. She seemed curious about what was going on. I smiled up at her.

"Why did you need me?" I asked, climbing up the steps.

"Nice shades," Yaya said with raised eyebrows. I was about ready to flip her off.

"Your style is lovely," Nadeshiko said with her warm smile.

"Seriously, I didn't come here just to receive compliments and apologies."

"Feisty," Kukai said while whistling. "Want something to drink?"

"I'm not a fan of tea." I was a fan of blood, not that they needed to know that.

"You look like you're going to be sick," Yaya said, her eyes becoming worried.

I looked away quickly. "The sun really gets me."

"Then come sit under the gazebo. You hardly feel it." I obeyed Nadeshiko's invite gratefully. "We called you here today to discuss the duties of the Joker."

"That's going to be helpful."

"Have we explained X eggs to you yet?" Tadase asked, forming a bridge with his hands and resting his chin on it.

"Um, no." What the hell was going on now?

"When someone has problems in their heart...," Tadase explained, sounding sad. "Their heart's egg will develop darkness, making it what we call an X egg. If they escape and hatch into an X Character, it will cause the holder harsh pain, physically and emotionally. Your job," he muttered while looking at me seriously. "Is to hunt down these X eggs and perhaps coax them back to their regular purity."

"That sounds easier said than done," I muttered.

"Sure, but this is your only duty," Kukai said while flicking my forehead, making me glare. "You have to do it well."

"That's true, I guess."

"Well, go do it!"

"What?! I doubt there's any here and now!"

"You'd be surprised." Kukai winked at me, his sparky eyes holding a challenge.

"And here," Nadeshiko said, taking a water bottle out of the cooler and handing it to me. "In case you get too hot." Water wasn't what I needed for that, but the sentiment was nice.

"One more thing," said Tadase, searching in his pocket. "This is for you." He pulled out a metal eggshell with little wings sprouting from it. My eyebrows peaked.

"This is something the first King told us to pass down to the person with three Guardian Characters. "A guilty wince on my part. "It's called the Humpty Lock." Go figure.

He opened the egg, so it revealed a lock with a diamond four-leaf clover in the center, surrounding the keyhole. It shone in the sunlight, making me cringe from the light it radiated.

"There's a keyhole," I said, squinting at it. "Is there a key for it?"

Tadase's look darkened. "Somewhere."

Standing from his seat, Tadase rounded the table so he stood behind me. He tied the lock's chain around my neck so it was like a necklace. It was heavy on my neck, but it gave some comfort to the hollow of my throat with its coolness.

"Thank you," I mumbled. It was very pretty. For a moment, I thought that a Vampire like me didn't deserve something like this.

Unnerving thoughts about Vampires caused Scarlet to lose her balance and fall from the tree, right in the middle of the table. Everyone's eyes widened.

"Um, what's this...?" Yaya asked.

"Ahem," Scarlet said in her dark voice. "My name is Scarlet, a Guardian Character of someone who you will never know." Good thinking, very creative. "Don't mind my intrusion, just watching what you Guardians do."

"She feels weird," said Pepe with a suck of her pacifier.

"She radiates dark energy," muttered Temari in disgust.

The way she spoke to Scarlet pissed me off a lot. No one could know that she was my Character, but still.

"I'm going now," I said quickly as I ran out. Scarlet discreetly followed after me, staying out of sight until we were far away from the Royal Garden.

"That was close," I sighed, gulping down some water from the bottle.

"I apologize," Scarlet said earnestly with a little bow.

"It's my fault for thinking things like that." I waved off her apology and decided to take a walk around campus, since I had nothing better to do.

Stinging my eyes was the dust that came from the athletics field. Stupid wind. But I looked down to see that kid that I saved from the bullies when everything began trying and failing at the horizontal bar.

"Hey," I said lightly, coming up next to him.

Apparently, I was very unexpected. He lost his grip while trying to pull himself up and fell flat on his ass.

"U-upperclassman Aileen!" He stuttered, immediately getting up and dusting himself off. "I was just, uh..."

"Practicing?" I offered.

He looked at me, then blushed. "Um, yeah. I saw you that day in gym." Oh, lovely. "You were inspiring. I tried to do the horizontal bar for years, but..." He patted the smallest bar with a bitter laugh. "I just can't get it."

Suddenly his eyes darkened, so much that they held no inner light of their own. They looked like a soulless muddy brown. "It's all useless," he said, surprising me.

"Come on, I wouldn't really say that...," I muttered. But I trailed off when something emerged from behind him.

Sky darkened. The sun hid behind the clouds in fear. Above him was a pure black egg with a large white 'X'.

"Useless, useless...," It muttered over and over. The kid toppled over, unconscious. What the hell? Was this one of the X eggs they were talking about.

"Useless!" It screamed as it cracked open. A dark character with blank white eyes and a large red X on its forehead smiled devilishly at me.

An X Character?! ALREADY?! I literally just learned about these things!

Glaring up at it, I tensed myself up. "Who can decide whether your egg is good enough?! Only you can decide what to believe in!" I was terrible at trying to convince it to be good. "Even if you lose everything, lose all hope..."

I ground my teeth, thinking of how I had lost everything but a few years ago. I thought that I had nothing to believe in anymore. But then they showed up. My Guardian Characters. My true selves.

No matter what the blind future brought, we could always believe in ourselves. That can save anyone from the Dark.

"If you believe in yourself," I continued, hearing thunder rumble and lightning strike. "Anything is limitless!"

A strange bright light started to glow from the humpty lock. It overflowed me with such warm feelings and power, like a blooming flower on the first day of spring. It felt as if I was being completely enveloped in warm, soft light. Like the brush of an angel's wings. The place where only warmth and light existed. I could feel my body changing, like my hair tying up, my clothes changing, and my body feeling so light.

"Character Transformation!" I yelled as an eerie red light overcame the warm white. "Dark Heart!"  
Looking down at myself, I could see that the only light was blood red and coming from the Humpty Lock. My breasts were barely covered by a black top that resembled a sports bra with dark purple frills. On my neck was a black and purple choker that the top tied into and the ribbons cascaded down to the ground. My butt was covered by a wide black skirt with the same patterns as the top, and armbands with broken purple hearts grabbed one's attention. I felt a visor on my head, and imagined that a big, toxic purple broken heart popped out with my red hair tied into a long side ponytail.

That wasn't all. I felt so powerful, like someone having an adrenaline rush while on steroids.

The X Character backed away from me, looking like he felt threatened. "Hate!" He screamed while lashing an attack at me.

With a wave of my hand, the attack was dissipated.

"Haha," I murmured, flexing my hands that felt filled with power. I sent a glare to the X Character. "Who's fucked now?!"

Backing away, he attacked again. The result was the same. However, my assignment was not to get rid of this X Character. It was to save it. But how could I?

I thought about how I thought I once had nothing left to believe in. Nobody should have to feel what I've been through. I opened my eyes and stared at the X Character, my resolve affirmed.

The clouds suddenly cleared, and the winds and thunder calmed.

"Negative Heart: Lock on!" I said while forming a heart by matching my thumbs and forefingers into shape. "Open Heart!"  
Surrounded by the light again, a soft wave of emotions felt like they were coming from my hands. They trapped the X Character, and calmed it with warmth. It looked into the sky, at peace, and became a regular egg once again.

The boy was saved, for the egg melted into his middle, making me shiver. That was eerie and gross.

Ran popped out from the lock, and my transformation came undone. "We did it!" She yelled while flailing her pompoms everywhere. "We Character Transformed and saved that boy!"  
"What is Character Transform?" I asked, wonder sugar coating my voice.

"When the holder's and Characters hearts and powers become one, and power is increased by one hundred and twenty percent!" She squealed.

"Impressive," I said, a smile breaking the dark cloud of my expression.

"Miss Howard!" I heard Tadase suddenly call. He and the Guardians were at the top of the training hill, looking down at me with pride.

"That's wonderful!" Nadeshiko yelled to me. "We sensed an X egg, but it looks like it has been taken care of!"

I could feel my eyes fill with hope and happiness. I had just saved someone. I wasn't all evil if I did that, right? I didn't have to be a bad Vampire. I smiled so hugely that my Characters looked at me in pure surprise. I was so happy that I didn't destroy everything I touched.

The kid suddenly stirred, then looked up at me. "Upperclassman Aileen? What happened to me?"

"Listen!" I yelled, jabbing a finger in his face. "You may be totally weak and scrawny, but if you don't believe in yourself, who will?!"

He gazed at me in amazement.

"Maybe you can even impress me one day," I winked.

"That settles it," he said suddenly, getting up and dusting himself off. He then tried to throw himself at me and plant a kiss on me. "I am in love with you, Lady Howard!"

"WHAT?!" I yelled, punching him away so hard he flew. "As if! I will only ever let the one I love kiss me, punk!"  
The air with no harsh winds was filled with the Guardian's musical laughter. And, to my own ears, the way my heart felt was like it was singing.

_**And thus concludes Chapter IV, with Aileen's first Character Transformation! You will notice that it is different from Amulet Heart, and this is simply because her demonic nature is tainting the Transformations, which will be explained in more detail later.**_

_**Aileen: "I'm SICK of Ikuto. Honestly, does he have to be here?"**_

_**Ikuto: "Yes. Who else would keep you in line?"**_

_**Aileen: "Like I want to hear that from the guy who's name WAS the same as the parrot from Alladin."**_

_**Ikuto: "Yeah, well, your name is the same as the author's grandmother."**_

_**Aileen: "*Gasps tearfully* Why would you do that to me?!"**_

_**Crimrose4all: "It wasn't to make fun of you, it's because of what it means!"**_

_**This conversation is to be continued….**_


	5. Chapter 5

_**(Continuing from last time…)**_

_**Aileen: "Oh yeah?! What does my name mean, then?!"**_

_**Crimrose4all: "…*smirks* Light."**_

_***Silence***_

_**Ikuto: "Awww."**_

_**Aileen: "Wh- why the hell would you name an almighty Vampire such a th-"**_

_**Crimrose4all: "SHUT UP ABOUT BEING AN ALMIGHTY VAMPIRE. YOU'RE A WIMP AND YOU KNOW IT."**_

_**Aileen: *Stunned to silence***_

_**Ikuto: "And now I know how to shut her up!"**_

_**Disclaimer: I do not own Shugo Chara**_

_**Aileen: *Still in stupefied silence***_

Chapter V: Scarlet Dancer

"Damn it!" I yelled, leaping off from the roof. "It's only my second day! Who's X egg is this, even?!"

Swirling around, the X egg laughed as if I didn't stand a chance. I lept from roof to roof, chasing it until resolve was found. I caught a glimpse of the owner, who dodged along the pathway into the school's miniature forest. If I got to her first, maybe the egg wouldn't hatch, if I was lucky.

Making a flying leap off of the roof, I suddenly lost my balance and staggered. I was getting very hot. And my throat felt so dry. Kukai had been training me for a while before I ran into this random chick that was on school grounds during spring vacation. Sure enough, her egg was marked with a large white X. I've been after it since.

Add all that up and I've been in the sun for quite a while. It was starting to get to me, and majorly drain my strength out. Vampires do burn when they are in the sun for too long. Think of it like simple science; if something that's already hot gets too close to a fire for too long, it will start to burn.

Since Vampires body temperatures are already so high (from drinking all that blood with a beating heart, causing it to beat faster and make our temperatures higher) being in the sun for too long gets majorly uncomfortable and our strength will start to slip away gradually. Then we burn when we're at our limit. I was at my limit. But I had to save that girl.

No matter what.

So I stumbled into the forest and came to a fork in the paved path. I panted and panted, so hard I began to cough. Blood spewed out like a geyser, making me think that my time was almost gone. I fell to me knees, now a crescendo of coughing and hacking, staining the slate gray walk crimson.

But I had to keep going.

"Are you okay?!" All of the Characters demanded at once.  
"I'm fine," I wheezed as I cringed. "I just need a dark, indoor place to rest."

"I'll take it," Scarlet said while flying off. She communicated to me in my head with the results. _"A few more steps, and you'll come to a closed off building. It looks pretty dark and old, so it'll do." _ Since Scarlet was technically a Vampire, she could be effected by the sun, too. But she's been in hiding in shade for most of the time, so she was totally fine.

Stumbling along again, I felt my eyes rapidly search for the building she spoke of. My eyes located a large building with a sphere shaped roof, covered in ivy an vines. It would be nice and dark. But I had to hurry.

That girl needed me.

-Ikuto-

"There's the X egg," said Yoru from beside me. "And the owner that goes with it."

My large cat ears twitched in the breeze, but also because I heard heavy and unsteady footfalls approaching. My head snapped to the left, where I caught sight of Aileen crumpling as she walked, searching for the X egg.

"What the...?" I wondered aloud. What was she doing here? Maybe she sensed an X egg all the way from her house...

Suddenly, the sound of coughing filled the empty silence. I stared at Aileen, who was coughing as much as a smoker. She crumpled in on herself as blood surfaced from her lungs and stained the ground.

"Aileen!" I snapped, like she could hear me from this distance. She was obviously not well, and she looked like she was on the brink of death. _What's wrong with her?! _I thought, astounded by her actions.

I saw what looked to be a Guardian Character fly off in the direction of the old planetarium. The opposite direction to what the girl and X egg took.

Shortly after, Aileen stood, wavered, then continued to stagger along the path towards the planetarium.

"She's going the wrong way," Yoru taunted in an off-key voice.

I didn't care about the X egg for a moment. All I could focus on was the place on the ground that was now being tainted by her creepy looking blood. It wasn't the regular deep red, like her hair; it was a black-ish red, as if it were inhuman blood.

Not being able to help it, I also thought about her that blood tasted. Not the usual coppery metallic taste, but something much sweeter and richer. Almost like melted dark chocolate.

There was something up with her, I decided. It's weird how she made the earth shatter, how her blood tasted, and now how she was hacking it all up and acting totally weak.

In the back of my mind, I swear there was a survival instinct telling me to keep my distance from her. Like she was dangerous. But that couldn't be true. She was just a little girl...

But something else told me to reject that completely. Just the thought of that smile she gave me after simply giving her treats... it looked like a ray of sunshine to her cold and pale face. Someone who made a face like that just couldn't be... well, whatever my brain was telling me she was. I just wasn't listening.

-Aileen-

"Okay, well, this wasn't what I expected," I muttered while glancing around the old building.

It was a planetarium, complete with a huge telescope right in the middle, and a sky that changed colours. Right now, it was the red of dead evening, the sign of stars winking at me. I staggered to the first row of theater like seats and totally collapsed into it, my breathing ragged.

"Are you going to be okay?" Ran asked, her face completely masked with worry and concern.

"I'll be fine, just give me a minute," I wheezed. "Also, this will give the X egg the time to think that it lost me. When it doesn't see me as it casually hums along, we can launch a surprise attack."  
"You're very strategic," Miki said, smirking with an eyebrow raised devilishly.

I shrugged. "It comes with the territory. You have to think like a hunter to survive."

My head thunked on the back of the seat, and I got a good look of the changing night sky. The colours slowly transcended into the cool blue of night, the stars blinding the naked eye. Such darkness rejuvenated me, and I hopped up, ready to go.

"That was a very short time," Scarlet commented.

"I told you, I'm different from other Vampires," I muttered, staring at the sky's blue that reminded me of Ikuto. "I rejuvenate from sun exposure faster than others."

I kept staring at the planetarium sky, and thinking about how it went from such warm colours to cold, yet it was still the sky. The same sky that everyone looks at when they go to sleep and wake up. The same sky that lost loved ones look up to and wonder if their lover can see the same sky.

Even though it has only been a few days, I could feel myself changing. I was totally lost and in the dark before my Guardian Characters came around. But now...

It feels as if the sun is rising.

"Let's go," I said, determination appearing in my eyes. "Give that girl something to believe in."

Darting from the planetarium, I caught the slight scent of earl grey tea. I looked back, and saw a cup steaming on a table nearby. Someone was recently here. Was I being stalked or something? It wouldn't be the first time...

The door slammed shut behind me as I zoomed out at an unearthly speed. The trees flew by, just blurs of brown and green. The was a slight clearing, where I could see the collapsed girl, Tadase, and Nadeshiko. It looked like they were trying to fight, and failing, getting tossed around by a dark current of X Character power. Damn, it hatched...

"I'm coming," I whispered, not like they could hear me. "My heart," I said, pressing my hand to where my heartbeat was. The Humpty Lock dangled in my clevage, disturbing the silence. "Unlock."

It was the same as the first time I Character Transformed; the place of light that suddenly went dark at the last second. I felt as if it was supposed to be light all the way through, but maybe my Vampire instincts were disturbing it.

The X Character didn't even notice my silent leap behind it, golden eyes ignited. So imagine it's surprise when it was suddenly knocked down.

Tadase and Nadeshiko whipped their heads up from their slight injuries and looked at me like they've just seen a ghost. More than anything, they stared at the Humpty Lock, which was glowing again.

"Character Transformation," I announced, putting my hands on my hips. "Dark Heart."

"Aileen!" Nadeshiko gasped. "You Character Transformed!"

Shrug. "How do you think I got that X egg last time? By chatting it up?"

Tadase just stared, his face flushing slightly. The X egg managed to get up by now, pissing me off.

"I don't want to waste my time on you," I muttered, wanting some kind of weapon to distract it or something. I felt something cool in my right hand suddenly, almost like I had summoned it with those thoughts. It was a flare gun, completely black. Interesting.

"Bursting Flare!" I yelled while aiming and firing at the Character.

A spiraling tunnel of flames shot out of the hole, stunning everyone at the scene (including myself). The X Character looked totally panicked, looking around for some sort of escape. But the orange flames trapped it in some sort of fireball, leaving it completely vulnerable to any attack.

"Negative Heart: Lock On!" My fingers moved on their own into the heart shape again. "Open Heart!"

Light shone on the flames, making them glow a brilliant gold. The purified egg emerged, completely unscathed, and floated for an instant before melting back into the girl's chest. Ick.

"That was...," Nadeshiko stuttered, seemingly at a loss for words. "Incredible."

"Wow," Tadase managed to choke.

"Hehe," I said, smiling to myself. "I know." The Character Transformation came undone, and Ran popped out, looking exhausted.

"You okay?" I asked her, my face becoming worried.

"I'm fine," she muttered, rubbing her eyes. "It's just tough on me, is all."

I nodded at her, but the worry lines didn't ease up.

The girl on the ground stirred and groaned, making us all jump. Her eyes flickered open, filled with inner light once again. They were the colour of deep evergreen, and they stared into the sky.

"Was I... asleep?" She asked, her voice small and shy.

"Is something up?" I asked, crossing my arms and drawing her attention to me. "You know, anything on your mind?"

She stared at me in total shock. Then she fluttered her hands around, like she didn't know what to do. "Oh, God, I'm in the presence of Aileen Howard..."

I raised an eyebrow. "What am I, some kind of god? I go to school here."

"Right, right, of course...," she laughed nervously, looking far away.

"So...?" I drawled, still waiting for her answer.

She looked like she was about to say something along the lines of not wanting to bother me, but stopped when she saw the look on my face. "I'm... moving to Japan."

"Really now?"

"Yes," she nodded. "My mother is counting on me to learn the language, and be a grown-up about the whole situation." Her eyes became very sad, tears almost sprouting. "But I don't want to leave. I'll just be forgotten. All the pressure..."

"Stuuupid," I said, punching her back on the head so she fell on the ground again. She looked up at me in bewilderment. "No matter where you are, the sky is the sky. As long as you think about each other, won't that be enough to keep you from being lonely?"

Her mouth opened in surprise as she stared at me and my red hair, blowing slowly in the wind. My tough eyes held her in place, seemingly having a cold expression hidden in them.

"I guess you're right," she laughed, the darkness completely gone from the atmosphere.

"I am right."

Standing and dusting herself off, she smiled at me. "Would it be alright if I thought of you as a friend?"

I looked away, uninterested. "Sure."

As she walked away, Nadeshiko patted my back lightly. "You handled that very well."

"Still," Tadase muttered, concern covering his features. "I've never seen the Humpty Lock glow like that. It usually only glows the colour of light."

"I thought that was the case," I mumbled, staring off towards a nearby veranda and bench. It could've been my imagination, but I swear I saw a knee covered with black and dark blue cloth poking up, like someone was lying there.

Someone with a uniform that looked like Ikuto's...

"Aren't you even a little cold?" Ran asked, shivering slightly.

"Not at all," I murmured, feeling the night wind stir my hair.

The moon shone with its light glory, making me kind of homesick again. I hugged my knees to my chest, my hair completely free to blow around as it liked. I swear that my eyes were glowing with the moon's reflection.

"Why did you come up here?" Su asked in her sweet, girly voice, snuggling next to me.

"This is where I come to think," I mumbled, snuggling further into myself.

"You? Think?" They all asked at once, minus Scarlet. I can't believe they all said the same thing without even sharing a brain.

"Just shut up." I tilted my head down to glare at them. "Even I need these moments."

Ever since I first came to live with the Howard's, the roof is where I always came to think. The deep violet shingles clicked and shook as another night wind blew across the land. And, right now, I came up here to think of my family.

_If you think about them, you'll never feel alone._ Those words might've made sense to that girl, but not to me. I constantly thought of them, mostly out of guilt, and the loneliness never went away. It felt like there was some aching, empty hole in my chest, never being filled.

Maybe because it's my fault that they died.

Scarlet suddenly appeared in the moon's light, merely a silhouette, bringing a sense of melancholy with her. She was back from her mini mission.

"Any news?" I asked as she came up beside me.

"I researched this Easter corporation with firsthand experience," she reported, seeming to do it from memory. "It seems that yes, they are after the Embryo, wanting to deliver it to their boss. They have that Ikuto kid and someone else search for eggs, and see if they are the Embryo. If not, they are destroyed."

My mouth opened in horror. "You can just do that?"

She shrugged. "There are obviously no laws against it."

"That's terrible. What happens to the owners?"

"It seems that they become like emo zombies."

"Jesus."

"Yeah."

I shook my head, hair whipping back and forth. "We have to do something." I got lost in my own thoughts and ideas, thinking that it would be best to keep the Guardians out of this. I don't want another stupid war to just get worse. Then it hit me.

"No one knows who Scarlet's owner is," I mumbled, almost to myself. "So no one would know her Character Transformation..."

"I get the feeling that we're going to be sneaking around a lot," Ran sighed heavily.

"Before that..." I smiled gently at them. "Do you guys want to hear something?"

Miki seemed confused. "Like what?"

"Well, to be honest, I'm a singer and pianist." I stood, leaving the shingles cluttering in the breeze. "And I... play whenever I need to think. That and come up here." I turned my unwavering gaze to them. "Would you like to hear?"

-Ikuto-

"Ikuto, really, why are we here?"

Ever since the first time I saw it, I could not get over Aileen's home. It looked like something straight out of a gothic fairy tale, complete with the rounded violet shingles and ivy covering the sides. In the night, it was only a hulking shadow.

"Quiet," I told Yoru, who was actually concerned for my coming here. "I just... I don't know."

I clawed my way up the tree that was closest to her room, wondering if she was still awake. Once I had leaped from the budding branches to her white balcony, I noticed that the lights were off.

And that her balcony door was open, the curtains blowing in the breeze.

What the heck? Why would she leave the door open? Granted, people besides me probably couldn't come all the way up here from outside, but still.

Out of curiosity, I slunk into the shadows of her room. All I could hear was my own heartbeat skittering through my chest. It was so dark and eerie, considering her room looked like a demon princess', with all the classy black and red furniture and high technology and... gaming systems?!

Very quietly, I stalked to the side of her princess bed and slightly pulled back the netting. To tell the truth, I had a reason to be here, I just didn't want Night to know.

I was worried about her.

Earlier, she seemed so weak and sick, and then I watched her fight that X egg. I couldn't believe that any Guardian had that much power. Even mine were no match. Barrels of flame flew out from that gun. That was a pure offensive attack, which Guardian Characters tend to be against.

Speaking of, next to her bed was a dark wood computer desk with a basket on it, Aileen's eggs piled in it. And... another egg that I have never seen before. In fact, I have never seen anything like it. How the red in it literally moved, and there was animated bats actually flying in it. It looked... and felt... evil...

Again with my snoopiness, I opened one of the drawers of the dresser, only to find a bunch of dark coloured bras. I was about to close it back up and pretend I saw nothing. About to. But instead, I picked one up and inspected it, thinking about how this was totally her style. I checked the size. Triple D. I threw it to the ground in dismay, my face flushed. Her boobs were that big...?!

Regardless, Aileen wasn't in her bed. It was completely bare. But I shivered once I caught her scent in it, which smelt like chocolate, roses, and honey.

Damn it, I was getting distracted. But where else would she be? It was around eleven...

I suddenly caught wind of something moving in the next room, and it sounded like a bench scraping back against wood floor. Curiosity getting the better of this cat, I skulked out into the hallway. From downstairs, I could hear laughter and see warm yellow light, like everyone was actually just waking up. Weird.

Continuing to the next room, I suddenly heard soft piano playing. It sounded so precise and complete, but an overflowing sadness welled up from the notes. I closed Aileen's door behind me and opened the dark wood door leading to the other room. My breath caught at what I saw.

The room was almost completely bare, with floor to ceiling length windows all the way across the north wall. The walls were white, the floor a dark wooden brown. And right in the middle was a white grand piano, which Aileen was seated at, playing like an angel. Her Guardian Characters watched her play with looks of bewilderment from the bench that she sat on.

Moonlight was streaming in all the windows, illuminating her completely with an eerie glow. Her hair shone like the colour of blood as it weaved to and fro because of her movements as she played. I recognized the beginning of the song as Rufus Wainright's version of that Hallelujah song.

Aileen began to sing with the notes, sending shivers down to my core.

"I heard there was a secret chord, that David played and it pleased the Lord, but you don't really care for music, do you? It goes like this, the fourth, the fifth, the minor fall and the major lift, the baffled king composing Hallelujah..."

Her voice sounded so pure and angelic that my face betrayed all of my emotions. It sounded like the saddest thing I've ever heard, like light was gone from her life. In all my life, I have never seen or heard anyone so sad. And I've seen a lot of things. But this...

Was just too much, even for me.

I was so sure that if she looked at me now, I would just shatter inside. My heart felt like it was being squeezed like someone ringing out a washcloth. It was beating like a bird trying to free itself from a dark cage. I felt so lost in the image I was seeing that it's almost like everything else in the world was nonexistent. I never thought that anything could make me feel like this.

I think that her Guardian Characters were actually crying, tiny little drips of water falling to the floor. For some reason, a fourth one was there, completely silent and tearless, although I couldn't really define how she looked.

Whipping my cell out, I turned down the brightness so my presence wouldn't be known. With a few taps, I was at the voice recording option, and I put it as close as I could to her without being caught. I had no idea why, but I always wanted to remember her like this, so sad and broken. Plus, the song itself sounded eclipsing to the real singer's. I slid down from the wall I was leaning against and just sat there in total silence, listening in darkness. Until the last key suddenly lingered for a while, leaving me in total shattered-ness.

Aileen sat there in silence, as well, seeming lost in her own thoughts. To my surprisingly immense relief, she seemed totally fine, compared to earlier. As I stared at her kind of stalker-like, I wondered what she could be thinking about. Why she was so sad. Those golden eyes of hers seemed devoid of all light and happiness, but there was definitely some kind of spark that I have never seen before.

I know I've thought this so many times already, but I just couldn't figure her out. Who was she?

Loud footfalls suddenly carried up the staircase, and I whipped my head to see two little shadows approaching. Acting quickly, I opened Aileen's door and dived in, praying that they wouldn't come in here. I can't imagine what Aileen would do if she caught me in here, spying on her, especially from her reaction of simply being bitten on the ear (to be fair, it was unexpected). I made sure to keep a crack open, though, so I could still see what was going on.

"Big sister," two small and girlish voices called in unison. From my vantage point, I could see two girls who looked about five or six, staring at Aileen with creepy smiles. The both of them were wearing the same gothic Victorian style dress, but the one with long black hair had one that was white and black versus the one with pure silver hair that wore a black and white one. They looked like they could be doppelgangers, one dark and the other light. But they both had matching pairs of amber eyes, glowing slightly orange in the light from downstairs. They seemed to call Aileen big sister, but they looked nothing alike. Their figures and faces were much more slender and angular, versus Aileen, who was all seductive curves and perfect face, like a statue of a goddess.

"Sonata, Aria," Aileen said in greeting, her voice sounding kind of strained. Could she have been crying when I thought she was simply thinking? "Do you need something?"

"Mother wants us...," the black haired one started.

"To rehearse for the benefit," the silver haired one finished. They put on matching smiles, showing rows of really sharp teeth.

Aileen made a sound of irritation deep in her throat. "Now, of all times..."

"You should honestly stop singing such sad songs," the black haired one pouted.

"They will actually make you sad," said silver hair, nodding in agreement.

Aileen pushed back silver hair on the head teasingly. "Aria, you think you're sooo smart, but all you do is agree with Sonata."

Okay, so silver hair is Aria and black hair is Sonata. Aria sniffed. "It matters not. Come and practice!"

"Fine, fine," Aileen muttered, allowing them to take her hands and literally drag her. They weren't even panting from her weight...

Aileen's Characters followed behind, talking amongst themselves. There was no sign of that fourth one I saw earlier. Or maybe I just imagined it...

Once everyone was out of my sight and I was out of their's, I let my body sag with relief and sadness. How could Aileen sound so broken?

It occurred to me that Sonata and Aria said they had to practice for a benefit. This was weird, because Utau was performing at an upcoming benefit for the Make A Wish Foundation. So were a lot of people from Easter, in fact. But there was talk of a family with a lot of status having their children perform to sponsor the cause...

I stood and dusted myself off, although Aileen's room was totally spotless. I took one final breath of her room, which smelt only of her comforting scent. I leaped from the balcony into the dark forest once again, baffled by the mystery that is Aileen Howard.

-Aileen-

"A benefit for the children of the Make A Wish Foundation?" Yaya asked, eyeing the tickets I had laid on the table. "I hear a lot of famous artists are going to be performing for that!"

I nodded. "Yeah. My siblings and I are doing a performance due to my family's social stature, so I got my hands on extra tickets. Do you... want to come?" I looked all around the table shyly, looking at everyone's faces that smiled at me warmly.

"Of course!" Kukai said, getting me in a headlock and noogying me. "We can't miss a single performance one of us puts on! All for one and one for all!"

"There will be one less of us if you don't get your hands off of me," I said sweetly (too sweetly) with a toothy smile. Kukai instantly backed off.

"We'll definitely come," Tadase said with a light smile, everyone nodding with him.

That put a slight smile on my face. Sure, it was going to be as embarrassing as hell, but at least people I knew were going to be there.

"I hear even Utau Hoshina is performing!" Yaya squealed excitedly. Everyone looked at me when I snorted sarcastically at that name, and I noticed that Tadase's face darkened slightly at that name, but he hid it well.

"Well, it should be fun," I said, shrugging. "And it's for a good cause."

No one was really listening to me. They were discussing the artists that were to perform, the girls about what to wear, and the boys about how to avoid such discussion. Something tugged at me in the inside, darkening my mood. Yeah, it should be really fun.

But Wolfram was performing with us.

We definitely had a past together, but he just wouldn't let it go. There was a lot of drama he had to go through, like poor Holly and her demise (courtesy of me when I was young and not very nice at all).

Another thing on my mind that weirded me out; why was one of my bras on the floor...? I swear that I didn't leave it there...

"Aileen!" Yaya snapped, jerking me into the conversation. "When is this thing?"

"Um, tonight," I said, eyeing her like she was retarded. "It's on the tickets."

Yaya's face looked shell shocked. "You mean I only have a few hours to find an outfit?! Agh!"

I rolled my eyes, and everyone laughed (but Yaya, who was still spazzing).

Oh, boy, having to face Wolfram was going to be a challenge...

"Oh, I'm getting kind of nervous," Aria fluttered, her face looking even whiter than usual.

"It'll be fine," I said, secretly panicking on the inside. I looked outrageous, considering that we were performing a Lady Gaga song. A black and red (SHORT) corseted dress that definitely showed cleavage. A poofy rose choker around my neck, my black and red wrestling boots. Oh, boy, this was going to be crazy, just crazy.

Earlier, I peeked out of the curtain to take a look at the totally packed venue. With my sight, I spotted the Guardians, making me sigh with relief and embarrassment. A bunch of acts had gone on already, and we were second last. I know I would've been more reassured if my Guardians were here, but they wanted to stay home for some reason...

-Scarlet-

(Scaarr-lehtt)

"This is madness," I muttered to Ran, who was playing with sugar cubes on the table in the Royal Garden.

"I know, and I haven't been here for that long," she sighed, laughing like a madwoman.

"Attendance, everyone!" Kiseki called, standing on a can with that high and mighty look of his. I was around to hear when he called a meeting for all Guardian Characters, to train for looking for the Embryo. I came of my own discretion, hoping for some amusement besides Aileen floundering with her emotions. That was pretty funny.

Everyone called here or just grunted at their names. Kiseki nodded to himself, pleased. "Okay, it seems everyone is here... with extras." He glared at me and I waved with a smirk on my face. "We will now begin the training to become more alert... and to get even closer to CONQUERING THE WORLD!"

Everyone was shocked out of their shit. The looks on their faces were priceless, making me want to laugh so hard I would cry. In fact, holding it in made me cry.

"Are you legit?!" Pepe asked, seeming the most frightened of us all.

"You can't decide this on your own!" Daichi yelled, really angry.

"Huh? What's wrong, Miki?" Su asked suddenly, looking at a blushing Miki.

"He's... really cool...," Miki whispered.

"Wow, looks like she goes for the headstrong...," Su started, then added, on a side note, "annoying", "Character."

"Wait, Miki's a girl?" Ran asked, genuinely biologically confused.

"We're staring!" Kiseki yelled, getting impatient.

"What are we doing?"

"To start, five hundred push-ups!"  
"BULLSHIT!" Everyone said at once.

-Ikuto-

"You don't look too happy, Utau," Miss Saxon said while smirking slightly.

In her dressing room chair, Utau sighed. She had been looking upset since we came here. Most likely because of what she was about to do.

"You're almost up," she continued with raised eyebrows. "Just those Howard kids and then it's all you."

Damn it, so it probably was Aileen and her siblings performing. I hadn't seen her, so I assumed I was in the clear. But now that I actually knew that they were, I wondered what they were performing. If it was Aileen's Hallelujah, I wouldn't be able to hold it in anymore.

_Hold what in? _I asked myself, then shook myself out of it. I just didn't know.

"Miss Saxon," Utau said quietly, sighing deeply. "I agreed to help look for the Embryo, but I don't want to sing to do... _that_..."  
"So what?" Saxon snorted haughtily, making me want to smack her. "You have to. You signed a contract. Ikuto and you are like caged birds... or, should I say, butterflies." She chuckled at her lame pun.

"If you're going to complain," she continued, pushing up her glasses on her nose and flipping her curly hair back. "Then maybe I should hire a different girl. One with three Guardian eggs."

Utau jerked. That was her sensitive spot; competitiveness.

"Aileen Howard... was it?" I shot Saxon a glare that implied to stay the hell away from Aileen, and she actually flinched from the intensity of it. Why had I done that...?

"I will not lose to that girl," Utau growled, marching out of the dressing room.

I knew what Utau was thinking, and I didn't want to think about it. She thought she had a love rival for me.

Pushing myself off the floor where I sat and picking up my violin case carefully, I left the room as well. Not to follow her, but maybe to just get some air. Not looking where I was going, I accidentally bumped into someone's shoulder, and looked up to mutter an apology. But stopped immediately at what I saw.

It was a boy, maybe a bit older than me. He had these deathly blue eyes, ones that made you shiver from the iciness. His pale and perfectly angled face was framed by a head of platinum blonde hair, flaring out everywhere. He was decked out in some serious get-up, all black and midnight blue. He simply hmphed arrogantly at me and continued his way down the hall.

That guy gave me the same feeling that Aileen and her sisters did. A feeling of warning and waning darkness. So I assumed that he had something to do with her.

Which, strangely enough, pissed me off eternally.

I'll admit that he was good looking, but my looks had him beat. Um, not that I really cared about that. No, not at all...

"Ladies and gentlemen," the emcee suddenly drawled, hushing the squabbling crowd. "Next in line, the second last performance, we have sponsored by Howard Industries. Their kids are going to be singing for us, an amazing performance, if I do say so myself. So, give it up for the Howard children and a Montgomery child from Montgomery Hospitals!"

Montgomery? Those people were famous. This had me instantly curious. I snuck past a bit of security to right back stage, so I could get a good view of the whole thing. The stage was totally dark, only flashing red lights shining. You could barely see the outline of the kids.

Lady Gaga's Bad Romance suddenly started to play, with a voice I now recognized as Aileen's hauntingly angelic one.

"Ra, ra, ra, ah ah, roma, ro ma ma, ga ga, oh la la, want your bad romance..." Oh, God, I could not believe that they were doing this...

The stage remained dark until you could feel the tension building up as Aileen sang the line, "You know that I want you, and you know that I need you, I want it bad, your bad romance..." Somehow, this song in Aileen's voice gave me a feeling. A warm and shivery feeling. What the...?

As soon as the chorus began, lights flashed on, making the crowd erupt with cheers. This could have been a beauty pageant, with all the gorgeous people on stage. Aileen and her sisters, an older guy that had killer black hair and silver eyes, and that asshole from the hallway. Aileen was definitely showing off the goods, making me feel... teenage feelings that I have never felt before. Shit.

They were doing awesomely choreographed dance moves, Aileen managing to sing perfectly (it was obvious that she wasn't lip synching from the sound). There were some backup dancers doing pretty elaborate dancing, too, but Aileen and the asshole were definitely front and center.

The whole gang started doing the pelvis thrust move against each other, Aileen with asshole, somehow igniting hot feelings inside of me that I had never felt before with a girl. What... could I be jealous?! No, that couldn't be it. That would mean I was... with Aileen...

No. That was ridiculous. I had just met the girl and I couldn't afford to feel that way. I had my own problems without worrying about that. Even if she was the most gorgeous girl alive and looking at her made me feel some weird feelings...

When it came to singing French in the song, Aileen was a pro. "Je veux ton amour, et je veux ta revenge, je veux toun amour, I don't wanna be friends..." You could feel the tension building in the whole audience that was clapping along with the beat. "I don't wanna be friends..." When hitting the high notes, her voice still didn't waver in the slightest. "I don't wanna be friends... want your bad romance... want your bad romance!"

Dang, this was good. The mood was all dark and excited, the crowd cheering their souls out. This was amazing... I had never seen this much people come together and cheer for one thing.

Before I could register what was happening, the song was over and thunderous applause filled the stadium. They were coming straight for me, causing me to abandon my position and book it back to Utau's dressing room.

She was back when I came in, doing one final make-up check before going on. "Ikuto?" She asked, confused when I suddenly burst in. "Where were you?"

"Out." She gave me a look that said 'no shit, Sherlock'. Then she stood from her chair and walked out, setting herself up on the inside for another performance that will crush the dreams that she had made.

"I will get you the Embryo, not matter what," she whispered to me as she passed. On the inside, I breathed a snort. I had been hearing that same sentence for a while now. But no need to offend her; I had already done enough to hurt her.

-Scarlet-

Everyone was about ready to heave after Kiseki's brutal exercise (that Temari managed to avoid, saying her kimono would get dirty).

"I can't stand anymore," Miki hacked, seeming to cough up dry air.

"Keep going!" Kiseki yelled, waving away their protests. "Next, we're going to do crawling."

"When you say 'we', you should actually be doing it, too," Ran said offhandedly.

"Stray cat coaches, go!" Scruffy looking cats pounced at everyone, causing them to roll away in terror. Temari only remained afloat, absolutely defiant to get her kimono dirty.

"What is _wrong _with you?" I heard a devilish voice snicker. We all looked up in surprise to see that Ikuto kid's Guardian Character, cat fangs gleaming as he grinned laughingly. "What the meow are you guys doing?"

"Thank you for censoring," Su said while waving a handkerchief with a smile.

"You!" Kiseki hissed, standing up from his can throne and pointing an accusatory finger at him. "You're that cat thief, Yoru!"

"Your training is stupid," he snickered, yellow cat eyes gleaming with challenge. "As if that'll do anything."

"Everyone!" Kiseki commanded to his collapsed troops. "After him!" Night had begun to fly away, but still remained in sight. _He's toying with us,_ I thought with a chuckle.

"It's a hassle."

"Waste of time!"  
"My kimono will get dirty."

"Temari, is that all you care about?!"

"He's getting away!" Kiseki yelled, insistent on catching him. Some Characters dragged themselves up and floated droopily to follow, but Ran stayed behind, eyeing Miki suspiciously.

"What's up?" She asked Miki.

"_He's _cool, too...," Miki sighed. Oh, man.

-Aileen-

"So, what did you guys think?" I asked. I had quickly changed back into my black jeans and slate hoodie, running to their seats. The Guardians all looked at me with a new kind of awe, making me flush slightly.

"It was awesome!" Yaya yelled, disturbing the people around her.

"You have got talent, Howard," Kukai said, punching me on the shoulder then looking like he regretted doing so.

"Thanks," I mumbled, flustered.

"I cannot believe that you can-" Yaya got shushed by the people sitting next to us. They said that Utau Hoshina was on next, and that she had to keep her trap shut. She quietly obeyed, but had a permanent pout on her face.

A creepy organ sounding start resonated through the total silence of the stadium. A single spotlight illuminated Blondie, who was wearing a ridiculously skimpy black dress that, note to self, note to self, had Character eggs tied on the belt. She began to sing in this haunting voice, one that chilled everyone to the bone.

Even though I had hidden hatred for this girl, I found myself swaying to her song, thinking of how it kind of applied to me. _When you're sleepy, where do you go to see a happy dream? Kissing underneath the starry sky, the good girl is ready to sleep..._

The whole stage lit up when she started to sing the chorus, and little black bat wings popped out from her back that no one else seemed to notice. It was almost like a Character Change...

"_Don't stare at me, don't catch me, I'm just a lost butterfly, the song of freedom, hidden in the wings no one can see, are you hiding it deep within your heart...?"_

-Scarlet-

"This is a wild goose chase!" Ran yelled as we crawled above the stage beams. That Utau girl that Aileen harvested harsh feelings toward was performing, and I had to admit that she was pretty decent. She didn't harvest the emotion Aileen did when she sang, and it didn't sound as powerful.

"Where are we even going?" Kiseki panted, and after all that Night has put us through, I don't blame him. Crawling up telephone poles, dodging cars in the street, flying through busy sidewalks... this was a piece of hell.

"His tail is cute, too..." Miki's face turned even redder, as it already was from all the work.

"You followed him on your own free will, you know," Ran scolded Kiseki.

"He provoked me!"  
"My kimono is getting dirty..."

"Really, Temari?!"

"Oops," Pepe said suddenly, slipping and grabbing on to a wire. Turns out that it led to a stage light that crashed to the ground, making Utau whirl around in surprise. The music halted to a sudden stop, and the emcee declared that we were having technical difficulties.

They were going to have even more, because Pepe just kept swinging. The whole light set-up came crashing to the ground, making fire alarms go off and sprinklers spray everywhere. The crowd was like a sea, pushing and shoving against each other like waves to escape.

Yoru's ears suddenly perked up, and he floated away from all of us. "Ikuto is calling me," he affirmed with a nod, then took off.

"Hey- you-," Kiseki stuttered, dodging the occasional water sprinkle. "Get back here and take responsibility, damn it!"

_Scarlet... come... _I heard the voice as clear as day in my mind, sounding deep and velvety. I knew instantly that Aileen was calling me for the first time. I bolted from the scene at top speed to meet her where she crouched on the roof, watching an X egg.

"What happened?" I asked, landing on her shoulder.

"Her singing pulled an X egg right out of a little boy," she hissed bitterly, filled with hatred.

"Well, what do you want to do?"

She looked at me with such intensity in her eyes that it could probably give someone a heart attack. "I think you know."

-Ikuto-

"Caught it," I heard Yoru say from within me. I held the X egg between my forefinger and thumb, not surprised at the night's turn of events. Honestly, I expected Aileen to show up at the scene (maybe even hoped she would), but no such luck. It was just me, Character Transformed with Yoru, and the X egg.

Applying pressure to my hand, I prepared to crush it in my bare hands. There was no need for it if it wasn't the Embryo. I had to tell myself that. But each time I had to break an X egg, I broke inside a little. I was taking someone's dream away, as mine has been long ago.

"I'll be taking that X egg!" Yelled a deep, dark voice from above. Shocked, I whirled to face the source.

A girl stood on the roof of the stadium, a girl I have never seen in my life. And, hell, did she look creepy.

Around her was this red aura like thing, making the moon behind her seem crimson. Pure silver hair was blowing in the breeze like crystallized wind, shockingly light against the dark night sky. Her eyes glowed blood red, as red as Aileen's hair. Her face was pale, so pale that it was almost snow. Her sea shell pink lips stretched into a menacing grin, revealing what seemed to be very sharp and fine fangs, protruding from her gums.

Showing off her torso and cleavage, her shirt seemed to only be a black and red bra with see-through material streaming down from it. On her arms were black and red corseted bands. Her wrists were decorated with long red ribbons that looked deadly in the wind. She only had leather short shorts with a silver chain belt covering her legs, and black lace-me-ups tied around her legs to her knees.

But something that caught one's attention would be the huge black bat wings coming from her back.

Utau's were miniature in comparison to these suckers. And it seemed like they moved on their own.

The girl leaped down from the roof, facing me squarely with that lethal grin. "Hand it over," she commanded, gesturing to the X egg.

"As if," I snorted, secretly afraid of her. She had a sort of demonic aura that could only be described in books and movies, creeping me out.

She shrugged lightly, as if it was no big deal. "Your choice." She held her ribboned wrists in front of her and wind milled her arms so they slashed into the ground.

The same thing happened now that happened with Aileen; the earth shattered beneath me, and the air constricted around me. But the power was more intense. In order to not fall to my death, I had to act quickly and leap away, the X egg slipping from my fingers.

She flew over the cavity in the ground casually, like she did it every day. The X egg was caught without fumbling or hesitation. She swooped her hand to the right, and the earth seemed to mend itself together like strands of a spider web stringing together.

She smiled at me, fangs glinting in the moon. "Thank you," she snickered, and began to fly away.

I wiped my hand across my face, which felt caked with mud. "Who the hell are you?!" I demanded, throwing the discarded mud to the ground.

She turned to me and cocked her head curiously. "You can just call me... the Scarlet Dancer." Then she flew from my sight, giant and all too real bat wings making a huge wake of wind.

What. The. Fuck. Was. That?! And who was that? They seemed to know about X eggs and whatnot, so they had to have a Guardian Character... I wonder why they stole it...

She stole the X egg. I internally cursed myself, wondering what she was going to do with it. I have never seen a Guardian so dangerous before now, and she radiated feelings of darkness and power. The broke the earth and tightened the air like it was nothing, then mended it back together.

This is what led me to believe that there was still some things out there that no one knew about. Things that I didn't know about. My Character Transformation came undone like a snap, and a confused Night popped out of me.

"Who was that?" He asked, back arching like a defensive cat.

I looked towards the direction she flew, which was right to the moon. "I don't know," I said, narrowing my eyes. "But there are some mysterious forces at work, here, Night. Something bigger than what we're working with."

-Aileen-

"I don't think he knew it was me," I whispered to Scarlet inside of me, landing in a forest a few miles away from where I confronted Ikuto in my Character Transformation with Scarlet and stole the X egg.

"He couldn't," said her deep voice. "He doesn't know I exist."  
I nodded, more to assure myself than to affirmate. I knelt down, holding the X egg away. It glanced around, like it was wondering where it was.

"Don't worry," I whispered, Scarlet's voice eclipsing my own. "I'll save you."

"Negative Heart: Lock On. Open Heart." The light erupted from my hands in red streams, but healed the X egg all the same. It flew off, pure and white with the golden emblem on the front, hopefully in the direction of its owner.

Our Character Transformation came undone. Scarlet looked at me proudly, and I smiled. Her powers were insane. We slashed the earth with ribbons. That was an upgrade from my chain.

"Aileen!" Said my other Guardian Characters, floating to meet us. "What are you doing all the way over here?!"

"I had business to take care of, catching and healing an X egg."

"What?! Why didn't you call one of us?"

I jabbed a thumb at Scarlet. "She helped."

"Whoa," Su cheered happily. "What did it feel like?"

"... Empowering," Scarlet said after a beat of silence.

"What's it called?" Miki asked.

"The Scarlet Dancer."

As they spoke loudly and gushed about Character Transformations, I let my mind wander to Ikuto. So he was the one executing X eggs. What was he even doing at the concert hall?

I could sense something strange about him. Like he was hiding behind a mask of some sort. Like he was keeping pain inside. Just like me. I put on this mask of cold indifference, hiding all of my internal suffering.

All I really wished for... thoughts like that kept flooding through my mind as I looked into the starry sky. All I really wanted was someone there for me. A shoulder to cry on. A hand to hold. Someone to be there. But as long as I am what I am, that can't happen. Not only was I a Vampire, but Vampire Overlord. The God of Vampires. Not even Vampires thought that they could match my level. Even Wolfram was hesitant.

I was all alone. Everything else seemed so far away.

-Ikuto-

"What do you mean you couldn't get the X egg?!" Saxon demanded while slamming a fist on her office table. "Utau got it out so it was right for you."

I lifted my right shoulder slightly, something I did when I was either shy or disinterested. "Someone called the Scarlet Dancer stole it from me."

"The _what?!_" Saxon yelled, making Utau shrink back. She didn't like yelling.

I was hardly paying attention. My mind had traveled from strange things, powerful forces, to Aileen, who seemed to be one of those things.

She was far away. I realized this when she was singing Hallelujah. Her sadness was unreachable, even though I thought the exact opposite. But there was that one moment, where she smiled at me, where she seemed so close. Close to my thumping heart.

-Aileen and Ikuto-

Who was she/he, really? And why was she/ he always on my mind?

_**Yes, Aileen's appearance totally changes when she Character Transforms with Scarlet. This is a big thing in late chapters, so you might want to keep it in mind.**_

_**Aileen: *Has yet to recover from last time***_

_**Nadeshiko: "Oh my, does that mean it is my turn? Ahem. Please leave a review to tell us what you think! Thank you kindly!"**_

_**Aileen: "HOW DARE YOU?!"**_

_**Crimrose4all: "FULL RECOVERY!"**_


	6. Chapter 6

_**For this chapter, I went through hell to find out that ballet teacher's damn name. Seriosuly, I have to remember this stuff.**_

_**Aileen: "*Scoffs* See, you think you're all that, making me do what I do, but I enjoy watching you go through hell."**_

_**Crimrose4all: "Sadist."**_

_**Aileen: "WHAT?!"**_

_**Kukai: "Let it go, Chicken Nugget."**_

_**Aileen: "I swear to god, Kukai, if you keep calling me that-"**_

_**Disclaimer: I do not own Shugo Chara.**_

_**Aileen: "You know what? I don't even care anymore."**_

_**Crimrose4all: "Aw, that's no fun."**_

_**Aileen: "I beg your pardon?!"**_

_**Crimrose4all: "I'll have to try harder next time."**_

_**Aileen: "God, please, NO-"**_

_**Crimrose4all: "I feel like I've been issued a challenge."**_

Chapter XI: Dark Spade

"It's getting insanely warm for spring," Yaya commented while leaning back in her chair. "This heat is insane."

So insane, in fact, the I came to today's Guardian meeting decked out in sun protective gear. Red hat, sunglasses, sunscreen, but wore short sleeved and legged stuff. It was too hot that I could overheat if I wore even a sweater.

"Stupid global warming," I agreed, sipping my ice tea that I bought on the way here, not that it helped.

"Bear with it for a bit longer," Tadase said sweetly, smiling encouragingly. "We're almost done."

He means _they're _almost done. My job is being on the lookout for X eggs and purifying them if seen. So I just sat on one of the ivy coloured couches at the end of the gazebo, sipping and staring at the dancing leaves nonchalantly. Apparently, no one knew that Utau had pulled an X egg out of a kid last night and that the Scarlet Dancer healed it. At least I think they didn't because they hadn't brought it up.

"Hoo, I can't take it anymore!" Yaya groaned. "I wanna get ice cream! Who's coming?!"

"Sorry," Nadeshiko said while clapping her hands together and doing an apologetic bow. "I have practice."

"I'm sorry, I have things to do," Tadase smiled.

"Soccer practice during spring break," Kukai cussed, looking into the distance.

"Aileen?!" Yaya yelled hopefully. "I don't know what you do in your free time-" nor do you want to "-so will you come with me?!"

Tilting my head up, I considered. Then I started to lounge on the couch and sighed. "Fine, I'll go."

Before she burst into a happy dance, I turned my head and completely ignored them while sipping my almost empty bottle. I wasn't too warm right now, and I was impervious to cold, so I was very comfortable. I rolled over so I faced the couch back and almost fell asleep. Then I heard Ikuto's name being brought up in conversation.

"What about him?" I snapped, immediately sitting up and making everyone jump.

"W-we were just discussing strategy," Nadeshiko floundered. "He's Easter's toughest employee, and we have to keep the Embryo away from him if we find it."

"Why do you want to know?" Tadase asked, eyeing me curiously.

I looked away, probably making him assume the worst. Because of that weird connection I feel when I look in his eyes, strangely like I've found a home, I felt protective of him. That was stupid, I know. He was perverted and an enemy. But I've learned through experience that you can't ignore what your heart is trying to say by the way it beats.

"Yaya, you said you wanted to go for ice cream?" I asked quickly, standing up and hoping no one would notice that I was avoiding the subject.

"Ohh, yeah!" She said, practically leaping from her chair and next to me. "See you guys tomorrow!"

"Miss Howard!" Tadase called to my back. I slowly turned around just as we were walking out of the gazebo shade. "Do you know Ikuto Tsukiyomi in a... personal way?" His eyes were narrowed, like he was praying it wasn't true.

His face fell when I looked away again, but I still said no, I didn't. And it wasn't a lie, exactly. I've only talked to him a few times; it's my heart that's saying I want to know him on a personal level, not me.

_That's your problem, _I heard Scarlet's voice say into my mind, while her physical form was hiding in the trees. _One thing you need to do to find your true self is realize that your heart is what makes you __**you**__._

_ As if, _I snorted back, not wanting to hear it.

"Bye bye!" Yaya said cheerily, trying to fill the awkward silence. She went to my back and kept pushing me out, until we heard the doors close behind us, glass grinding on glass.

"You're definitely hiding something from us," Yaya accused as we began to walk away, her stripping of her Guardian cloak and shoving it in her bag.

"I have a right to my privacy," I fired, getting pissed off at her invasiveness.

"Okay, ice cream it is," she nodded, trying to make things less awkward. "The food of women." This woman's food liking was different, but that's a conversation I wasn't planning to have. Ever.

"Oh, fridge!" She yelled suddenly while face palming. We had already left the school gates and we just walking on the gray sidewalk. "I have to stop somewhere first!"

"Did you just say 'fridge'?" I snorted, and she scowled at me. I raised an eyebrow. "Do you want me to wait here?"

"No, no, the opposite. Come with! She is going to love _you..._" She trailed off, smiling evilly to herself and creeping me out.

The streets were bustling with teenagers, all enjoying their spring break. I could tell that a few were Blood Drinkers and Flesh Eaters in disguise. They all turned to look at me, either in awe, or drooling.

"Aileen," Yaya giggled, eyeing me. "Every guy on this street is staring at you."

I sighed. "Everywhere I go, man..."

"Maybe it's because you're too pretty."

"Give me a break," I snorted, flipping my hair back.

But I will give her that. My looks were not that of your average Vampire. I look nothing like any member of my real family, and I never really cared. But now, it was starting to make me suspicious.

Why could I manifest every element, the minors, majors, and superiors (the minors are ice, metal, lightening, and spirit, the majors are fire, water, earth, and air, and the superiors are light and darkness)? Why was my hair the colour of blood, a colour like no other? Why was I different? It's not like my parents can answer these questions; they're dead.

"Aileen!" Yaya yelled, waving her hand in front of my face. I snapped out of my inhuman thoughts and focused on her pouty face in front of mine. "We're here."

It was a tall white building with floor to ceiling glass windows, and it looked like a dance studio from the sign. Yaya calmly strode through the front glass doors and checked in with a tall woman with dark skin. She smiled and waved us in.

"Where are we?" I asked as I followed after her, the woman's mouth dropping when she saw me.

"I take ballet here," Yaya proclaimed proudly. "I have a short lesson today because a recital is coming up. I'll be quick, then we can get ice cream!"

"You take ballet?" She didn't seem like the type.

She shrugged her tiny shoulders. "It's something I'm kind of good at."

We climbed a few flights of light wood stairs and eventually came to a door that read "Miss Mark's Ballet". Yaya pushed it open, and I could see a bunch of ballerinas dressed in pink, blue, and purple leotards. There was mirrors everywhere, and the floor to ceiling glass allowed a good view of the city.

A weird looking old woman with too much makeup and pinned up pink hair twirled up to us, seeming very creepy. "Little Yaya," she cooed in a weird, fluttery voice. "Welcome to practice! Please hurry, get dressed, and start stretching."

"Yes, ma'am!" She said with a salute. "This is my friend, Aileen Howard. Is it okay if she watches practice?"

The teacher got really close to my face and scrutinized me. I kept hearing her say 'hmmmm' in a very creepy way. Finally, she nodded to herself and said yes, I could stay.

Yaya went to a dressing room while I sat in a chair in the corner of the room. I gazed out the window in some boredom, wishing that I could just go home. She came out in a pink and white leotard and came to me to stretch.

"Look at me!" She cried happily as she executed a perfect spilt.

"Wow," I said, generally impressed. These chicks looked like they had no bones in their bodies. "You go."

"I know, I'm amazing, right?" She smiled at me in cheer.

"You're good," I agreed, smiling at her slightly.

"You!" The ballet instructor cried at me, making me jump. "How are you at ballet?"

She didn't give me a chance to answer, because she grabbed my wrist and started to drag me away. I felt her flinch at my unearthly warmth, but she kept dragging me to the dressing room. All I did was look at Yaya in shock and helplessness.

Mimiko made me change into this tutu and leotard that matched my style perfectly. I don't know where she pulled it from, but it looked like something a gothic princess ballerina would wear. The skirt was ripped and tattered see through black and red, and the top was a black corset with red string. The leotard was just plain red, and I was forced into black sparkly ballet slippers. Damn it all.

Everyone gaped when I came out of the dressing room, my hair tied up slightly with black ribbons. Yaya gave me the thumbs up, and I did flip her off this time.

"You would make a lovely ballerina," the teacher whispered in my ear, causing me to step away from her. "You may be short-" bitch "-but your arms and legs are very long, yet primal. You would be a perfect subject."

I have never been so frightened of anyone in my life.

"Try to do the splits!" I was shoved down into a pose that resembled the splits, if my leg wasn't bending a way I've never seen it bend before. Even so, I stretched myself into the splits, flaming pain igniting in my thighs. I was flexible, but I didn't do stuff like this often.

"Good," the teacher said, stretching her thing red lips into a weird smile. "Now try your hand at actually dancing."

Before I could do anything on my own, Ran Character Changed with me. I spun around like a tornado, so much that I thought I was going to puke. She made me leap into the air like a panther pouncing on its prey.

When she was done, I was left collapsed on the ground, panting like a pig.

Mimiko scrunched her nose up. "Maybe ballet isn't your forté."

Really now?

I got up, my bones and muscles aching like hell, and trudged back to the comfort of my safe haven, the chair. Yaya looked at me like she wanted to laugh, but was holding it back.

"Your Guardian Characters are pretty excited, huh?" She asked, actually starting to dance.

"Sorry," Ran muttered.

"If you do anything like that, you're being flushed down the toilet."

"Nooooooo!"

Ignoring that, we watched the rest if the practice in relative silence, except for my Guardian's oohs and ahhs. Yaya was pretty impressive, seeming completely caught up in the practice.

But she was cut off by some chick with dark hair and violet eyes standing in front of her and scowling. "You're only flower fairy number two. Move yourself so the prima can practise."

"Sorry, Mai," Yaya smiled.

"Bitch," I muttered when Yaya came to sit beside me.

Yaya just shrugged. "Her name is Mai Himekawa. Her mother was a prima ballerina, but had to retire due to an injury. She's always been the prima in every performance, and has always been like that."

Even though she was a total brat, her dancing was impeccable. She portrayed the emotions on her face perfectly, and her steps were incredibly graceful and complete. But she suddenly faltered and cringed, her ballet slipper coming undone and crashing to the ground.

"Mai!" Everyone started to yell, surrounding her in a protective circle. Mimiko barged in, demanding that they give her some air.

She took her by the shoulder and supported her as she limped into the dressing room. Some ballerinas followed, along with me and Yaya.

"Looks sprained," Mimiko cussed while examining her foot. "Too injured to be in the recital."

Mai looked crestfallen and shocked. "No way! I can still do it! It doesn't even hurt that bad."

"I can't let you do it," Mimiko said firmly. "There's no way."

"Karmaaaaa," I sang.

But Mai looked absolutely crushed. Being the prima must have meant a lot to her.

"But, Miss Mimiko, who will be the new prima?" Yaya demanded, her worried eyes resting on Mai.

"You," Mimiko said simply while looking up at her.

"ME!?" She asked, looking stunned.

"Yes, you are the next best." Mimiko looked at Mai apologetically then stood. "You should get home and rest. Your mother will be here to pick you up soon."

Everyone had left the dressing room, leaving a frail looking Mai to be alone.

"Sucks to be her," I said as Yaya and I walked out of the building. She nodded in agreement.

"But I doubt this will keep her down forever," Yaya said, a smile twitching at the corners of her mouth. "'My dream is to be a prima ballerina. Recitals like this are simple training.' That's what she always says." I laughed at how she mimicked her haughty voice. "Anyhow, ice cream time!"

I rolled my eyes. I can't believe she could change a mood that quickly.

"Damn it, Temple Run!" I yelled, tilting my iPod to get more golden thingies.

"Aren't you worried about Mai?" Miki asked, sitting on my desk and scowling at me.

"Why would I be?" I asked, swiping forward to jump. "It's none of my business. I couldn't care less."

"But, say if _Ikuto _were to be hurt..."

She made me swipe forward to my death, and I daggered her. "You made me mess up! And why would you even bring him up?!"

"Just asking."

"Yeah, well, I probably wouldn't care." I tapped play again. "But if there was blood on the scene, that would have been a different story."

"I just can't believe it," Su muttered, sighing deeply. "Something so beautiful like her dancing was taken away in a second."

"So what? My family was taken away in a second, and before you knew it, so was where I come from," I muttered angrily, wishing that the demonic monkey looking things would just piss off.

"That's true," Ran said, nodding. "There are worse things. More people are sad out there than her."

"She's probably too self-absorbed to notice," I added.

"Yes, but wouldn't it be nice if someone kind was there to give it back to you? That's what Aileen _does._" Miki looked pointedly at me.

"Uh huh, sure, if she births an X egg, I'll purify it if I feel like it." Died again, damn it.

"But, mind you," Scarlet cut in suddenly. "She must have the strength inside herself to believe that she can change fate."

"You're using her as an example for me, aren't you?"

"Maaaaaybeeee."

I tossed my iPod on my bed, giving up on Temple Run. "Whatever. You can't do it... alone." I suddenly realized what I was saying, then shut up.

"Can we go back tomorrow to check on her? Please?" Miki begged.

"Fine, fine," I mumbled. Speaking of, I suddenly heard my phone make the 'suspense' ringtone, which now meant that Yaya was texting. Yeah, I'm evil.

She actually wanted to know if I wanted to come with her to ballet practice again tomorrow. Great timing, so great that it creeped me out.

"You're gooooiiiiiing?"

"Oh, God, just shut up!" I slapped my hand against my forehead. "You're so mental. Yes, I'm going!"

I quickly typed up my response. All I got in return was an XD face. Bitch, please.

My light switched off, courtesy of Ran, and my room was only illuminated by the screen of my phone. I sat there and stared at it, thinking about how little time has passed and how much I have changed already.

And that Scarlet and I were now Character Transforming. It seemed like I had scared the crap out of Ikuto the other night, especially with, you know, making the earth crumble beneath him and all. And making the air around him constrict. Okay, so I could've killed him, but I didn't. Something inside me tells me that I can't, either.

Even so, I was still trapped. Trapped inside myself. No time could heal that.

"Un. Ac. CEPTABLE!" Yaya screamed while flinging the papers off of the table, scattering them everywhere.

Kukai slapped her upside the head. "Pick those up!"  
"But Aileen and I have something to do! Can't you finish this paperwork on your own?!"

"Yaya...," he seethed, a strange aura seeming to develop around him. "Pick. The. Damn. Papers. Up. Now."

"I really don't want to..."

"I'm going on patrol," I said suddenly, disrupting things before they got ugly. "See you guys in a bit."

The day was clear and not as hot as yesterday, the sun not burning me as much. I couldn't even sense any X eggs, let alone anyone on campus. So I allowed my mind some time to think up any strategies for a confrontation I knew was going to come.

Convincing Mai was not going to be easy, what with her being like an effing bull. I doubt simple talking could get through that thick skull of hers. I really felt like bashing my head against a wall. All of this was happening over ballet. There are isSus out there like world hunger and natural disasters and she's worried about ballet. Bitch.

Not even worrying about where I was going, I looked up and came face to face with the old planetarium where I rested from too much sun. I hope my blood was actually cleaned up, even though it was spring break. Come on, janitors, be nice...

Thinking _what the hell, _I wandered in there again for memories sake, also hoping to see the sky change again.

Instead, I saw this thin adult there, staring up at the sky with a graceful smile. Weirdly enough, he looked like an older version of Tadase.

His light brown hair was parted the same way, and his purple eyes were just as wide and childish. He smiled warmly at me in the same way, tea steaming on a table beside him.

So he was the one with the tea on that say. Creeper. And since I didn't know his name, I was planning on calling him Tea.

"Welcome," he said melodiously, smile growing.

"Erm, hi," I muttered, looking around. "Do you work here or something? I haven't seen you before."

"Well, that fact is mutual," he said. I noticed how he evaded my question there.

"My name is Aileen," I said, eyeing him suspiciously. "And you?"

He managed to dodge my question again, answering my earlier one in doing so. "I work on the matenance here. You're welcome to stay and chat for a while, though."

Tentatively, I stepped inside the true threshold. The night sky was a blinding midnight blue above us, reminding me of a certain someone I didn't want to think about anymore (scat out of my thoughts, you perverted cat!).

"Um," was all I could think of to say, unable to think of a topic to bring up with a creeper. Actually, the only thing I could think of was of the generic variety, something like 'so, nice weather we're having'. No. I wasn't saying that.

"Do you feel lost, by any chance?" He asked suddenly, making me wonder how much of a creeper he really was.

"Well, uh, I don't know if I should really talk about it...," I muttered hesitantly, kicking my foot back and forth.

"I'm just here to listen," he said politely, smiling very warmly. Yep, definitely some sort of deviant.

"Um, well..." I paused, searching for the words. "Someone I know had a dream taken away really easily. Can all dreams just be snapped in two?" My face pulled down in sadness. "Can they really be taken away like that?"

"Is that what you think?" He asked, eyeing me knowingly.

I considered, sitting down in a theater seat. "Maybe dreams can be taken away," I said, sighing. Then I looked at him straight in the eyes. "But I don't think anyone ever forgets them. So they live on, in a way."

He seemed pleased by my response. "I haven't forgotten my dreams. I still have dreams today, of wanting to be a writer." He sat down next to me, handing me steaming tea in delicate china. It smelt like gingerbread tea, my favourite.

"You still have dreams, even as an adult?"

"Aren't you almost an adult? Don't you have dreams?" It was pissing me off at how he kept evading my questions by throwing them back at me.

"I guess I do," I muttered.

"See?" He smiled again. "Every main Character has dreams, and still do by the end of the story. But they always begin the story by lacking something." He looked pointedly at me. "Just like you. You thought you were missing yourself, weren't you?"

Stranger danger, STRANGER DANGER. "I guess. But I'm always wondering how long it will take to get it back..."  
"It's not necessarily about the story's end, but about the story itself and what you learn from it," he reminded me. He sounded like a fortune cookie.

"I suppose so." I smiled at him. "No one ever really wants a dream to end, so remembering it is enough. That dream could give you what you lack, which is why it's good to always keep it with you, right?"

"You're really smart," he commented. "But do you think you'll be able to find what you lack?"

"Maybe not," I muttered, bitter. "What I lack can never be given back. The dead can't be revived. No matter how much you water a dead plant, it can't come back the way it was before." I stood, only having taken a sip or two of my tea. "Thank you for the advice."

He looked sad at what I said. Something that I lacked was my family. They died when I was too young, now I can't get them back.

I stepped toward the exit, and heard something strange before I left.

Tea sighed, smiling slightly. "Did you get the answer you were looking for?" He asked, but he wasn't talking to me. He was talking to the shadows.

Something shifted in them, and something grunted. "She's weird."

Urgh, who was calling me weird?!

"But she understands more than you thought she would," Tea chuckled.

"Shut up."

Okay, I was leaving before this got any weirder. I bolted out from the semi open door, leaving Tea to talk with the shadows.

_ Searching for the answer, the treasure, is never easy. But having something to believe in makes it bearable. And having a hand to hold will make your already warm body be even warmer. That small light that's always been guiding you is surely what makes you different from the rest of us, my daughter._

"Alright, let's do this," I said as we entered the ballet studio and I cracked my knuckles.

"Wow, you're scary," Yaya giggled nervously. She's obviously been worrying about Mai.

Speaking of, she was just forever alone in my corner chair, making me bristle. That was my chair. She kept looking down and depressed, and her eyes looked like they had no light.

That was a bad sign.

"Today will be a dress rehearsal," Mimiko sang in her weird old lady voice. "Mai's mother is here today to make sure everything is good to go."

A very pretty woman who I'm assuming was Mai's mother smiled at the class. Her daughter resembled her a lot, except she smiled a lot more than her. It was almost as if she was sparkling.

I wished I could do the same.

Yaya looked great when she was dancing. She sparkled in the white dress she wore, and the way that she worked so hard just made her seem beautiful. She kept messing up, then getting back up again. Stubborn as a mule, that girl is.

Mai kept staring at nothing and looking depressed, in my chair might I add. I was leaning against the wall beside her, watching her with a keen eye. An X egg could come out at any minute, I could see it in her eyes.

She stayed that way for the entire rehearsal. Staring at nothing, seeing nothing. When Mimiko dismissed the entire class, getting up was the first movement I had seen her make all day.

"Hey," I said from behind her. She stopped walking, but didn't turn around to look at me. "Get over it. There will be more recitals."

"... It's not about the recital," she finally muttered in a dark, emotionless voice. "My mother used to be the best prima ballerina in the world. But a simple injury took it all away from her. Just an injury."

Finally turning those emotionless eyes on me, she continued. "If something can be taken away that easily, it's not worth trying, is it?"

Glass suddenly broke in all of the mirrors after she screamed. It was shrill and high, like her heart was being ripped from her chest. Girls were screaming and running out of the room, Mimiko dragging Mai's mother along with her. Mai fell to the ground, completely out, and an X egg floated over her unconscious body.

"Knew it," I sang with a cruel smile spreading across my face.

'Crap, an X eg- okay, now an X Character!" She cussed as it hatched into an X Character with a tutu. "That's ridiculous."

"Useless!" Why did they always say that? Really...

"Leave it to me!" Yaya yelled. "Pretty, Cutie, Love Baby!" She Character Changed with Pepe, making a rattle and bib appear on her.

"Oh, wow," I snickered.

She yelled something about a gigantic rattle attack, which made the rattle grow until it was bigger than a full sized rifle. She smashed it into the X Character, only to have it kicked back at her and crush her.

"Waaaaah...," she began to cry. I slapped my hand to my forehead and let it slide down my face.

"Aileen, I want to do it this time," Miki said, floating beside me.

I was hesitant, considering that I had Character Transformed with only Ran and Scarlet before. But that confident smile on her face just made me smile back and nod.

"My Own Heart: Unlock!"

Light as far as the eye could see, except it had a blue hue to it (for the record, instead of light, it was all darkness when I Character Transformed with Scarlet). The light turned dark at the end again, which I'm now beginning to assume my Vampire traits are the cause of.

"Character Transformation: Dark Spade!"

-Ikuto-

"Man, I hate hunting for X eggs," Yoru sighed, always being the typical conversation starter. "Damn Nikaido."

I nodded in agreement, my cat ears flicking in the light spring breeze. I looked into what looked like a ballet studio. Why was it always girls...?

Surprisingly enough, I saw Aileen in there. She looked pretty good in simple jeans and a tee shirt, then I snapped myself out of it and focused on my task. She was only going to get in the way again .

But then I saw the Humpty Lock dangle from her neck on a chain.

"Wh- what?!" I gasped, scaring the crap out of Yoru. "Why does she have the lock?!"

Red light shone from the lock, stunning me to silence. The lock wasn't supposed to glow different colours, just rays of light. But she made it glow a bloody red, just like her hair. She Character Transformed in a snap with her blue Guardian, coming out looking like an artist of some sort.

I almost fell off of the telephone pole I was perched on. That's how surprised I was.

I saw Aileen Character Transform before, but I had assumed it was because I was around her. Tsukasa was right; she did understand more things than I thought she would.

The way her Transformation looked made me wonder if they were all hot in some way. This one was a black strapless shirt with ruffles cascading down the middle. It was attached to sleeves that flared out at the ends with more ruffles. Very short shorts covered her legs that clipped on to striped black and ultramarine socks, leading on to black combat boots. An artists' baret was on her head with a spade broken in two halves at the top, allowing a long red ponytail to fall out.

I saw her look at herself and smirk. Even from here, I could feel immense power coiling off of her, dangerous power.

What the hell was going on? I felt like I was the one who didn't understand anything now.

First we had met in the strangest way, and I felt something by simply looking at her. Then I found her audacious personality to be very refreshing, and she sang like an angel to the saddest song ever. Then she Character Transformed and the power radiating from her seemed like a coiled up snake getting ready to strike. Something was going on here. She wasn't like other girls.

There was also something in those eyes. Those golden eyes that seemed as if they could lead into oblivion. They reminded me of a lion's. Something that you wouldn't want to get to close to.

Since when was I this deep and dramatic? She's affecting me in some weird way.

-Aileen-

"Well, I just keep getting stronger and stronger," I snickered contentedly as I looked down at myself.

"No time to focus on that!" Miki scolded inside of me. "Focus on the X Character!"

"Roger!" I copped. The X Character seemed surprised, but continued to lash attacks of darkness on us.

In my mind, I summoned on a weapon to help me defeat it. In my hands I suddenly felt cool wood. I opened my eyes and looked down to see a very large wooden spear with an ultramarine diamond spear head. It looked like it could slice a drop of water in two if one happened to fall on the blade.

_Decent. _"Water Colour!" I yelled (I love how I just know what words to say for attacks; it was getting pretty awesome to not have to learn them one by one).

From the spear head, dark blue and black swirling water erupted and went into the air like a large fountain. Using the spear as a handle, I whipped the spouting water at the X Character. It totally wiped out all over the floor. The water left black sparkling water crystals remaining in the air.

"_Mom, you're quitting ballet?" _Said what sounded like Mai's voice, even though she was unconscious. But it sounded more young and vulnerable. "_You were so pretty..."_

"It's Mai's heart's voice," Yaya gasped. I assumed that meant that the inner whispers of her heart were speaking.

"_One moment can take it all away," _the voice continued. "_I'm just like mother..."_

"Urg...," I muttered as I ground my teeth together in a feral snarl. "STOP BEING A PUSSY!"

Everyone in the room gaped at me with my sudden outburst and rude pointing of an accusatory finger at the X Character and Mai.

"Don't you understand?!" I demanded, getting really pissed. "There are sadder people out there in life! And do they sit around and allow their heart to break like you? No! They move on with life and come back shining even brighter than before."

Like Scarlet insinuated, I could see myself in this girl, which was why I was getting on a roll. I sat on my ass and moped after my family was slaughtered and I destroyed my home. But now I know that was a mistake. The miracle of my Guardian Characters came after I made a wish to myself. I began to shine again, as a renewed main character.

"Yaya kept falling on her ass in practice, but she kept getting up again. Being the main character of your story- or in this case the prima- all depends on your strength to go on. Which is why your mother still shines after her injury and retirement."

The X Character hung it's head in what appeared to be shame.

"Everyone who gets up again and believes in themself...," I finished with a smile. "Is a real prima ballerina."

Vanishing from my hands and freeing them, the absence of my spear was helpful. I used Open Heart on Mai's Character, and secretly made a wish that it would give her strength back.

Mai shifted and grunted on the wooden floor. She woke up, eyes bleary and dreary, and glanced around. "Where am I...?"

"Mai!" Yelled her mother, running in, falling to the floor, and wrapping her arms around her daughter. "Oh, I was so worried! Are you alright? Are you hurt anywhere?!"

"Mother, I'm fine," Mai giggled. "In fact, I kind of feel better than ever..."

I smiled as my Character Transformation came undone. I had saved people. Maybe I wasn't a terrible Vampire after all.

That thought was immediately rejected by another. The memory of all that smoke, flames, and darkness. I've killed people; I was a murderer. It was my fault they died. My fault that so many of my people's homes were destroyed.

The smile faded away and I looked away from the touching mother daughter scene. I had brought darkness here, too. That's all I am.

Yaya was looking at them happily, then her smile shifted to me. She looked like she wanted to say something, but stopped as soon as she saw the look on my face.

"Aileen?" She asked, popping in front of me. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," I muttered with zero conviction.

For the millionth time, I got the feeling of eyes on me. I looked out the window with that shattered look on my face and saw Ikuto's face contort with shock.

What the- why was he here?! I realized that it was probably for the X egg, but he caught me looking weak and vulnerable. He quickly looked away and jumped from his perch on a telephone pole, probably scaring the people below out of their shit.

Why did he always see me like that? As the weak person I really am? I couldn't have one moment of believing in my own light without the memories burning that hope away.

This was the curse of being immortal. I would have to live with this guilt and hatred of myself for millennia. Only living in the dark, only having myself to rely on.

And sometimes not even I can trust myself.

This is why I loathed Xionattraynzia. It was all her fault.

Yaya was glamorous.

It was the day of the performance, and all the Guardians and I were attending. Yaya literally looked as graceful as the swan she played, even though her movements were sometimes fumbly. She shone with her own light, and looked beautiful.

The sparkly white tutu on her made her seem like a princess surrounded by fairies in a magic forest. This made me wonder what ballet they were even doing. Maybe Swan Lake...?

Kukai was actually tearing up at the sight of it. He said that he thought she would never be a prima; more like a tree or a rock. That made me laugh, and also laugh now at his reaction.

Applause filled the performance hall as all the ballerinas took graceful bows. I scooted out of my seat and down the aisles, catching what probably was some of the ballerina's big brothers eyes. I can't go anywhere without being stared at...

I snuck backstage to congratulate Yaya and the others. They were all being praised by Mimiko, who seemed to be taking a total spaz. Yaya got the highest congrats, and her smile was brilliant.

"Great work," I said after Mimiko' speech was done. "You made a great prima."

"Although," Mai suddenly butt in, wobbling over on her crutches. "You made seven mistakes and fell twice." Bitch. But Mai smiled at her. "It was still a great recital. I won't miss the next one."

Yaya smiled like a star.

"And, you," she said to me. I cocked an eyebrow. "I don't know why, but I feel like I should thank you for something. So... thanks."

I nodded politely at her, and smiled. "Maybe you're not so bad after all, kid."

"I'm not a kid!" I liked teasing someone else about it. "I'm already fifteen!"

"Then you're a kid compared to me," I snickered.

"I'm only fourteen," Yaya pouted.

"What?!" I demanded. "Why are you in high school?"

"Because we were all chosen to be Guardians, we all skipped a grade," she shrugged. "Except you. I'm not really sure why you got held back."

Silence. Then I said, "I'll tell you another day, Yaya." I clamped a hand over my mouth.

She whirled to look at me with arched eyebrows. "What'd you just call me?"

"Um... Yaya?"

Her smile lit up the room again. "I'm so glad! You finally said my name! We are one step closer to being friends!" Damn it, I was getting too close to these people!  
I glanced over to my Guardian Characters enjoying a good laugh, and thought that maybe that wasn't such a bad thing.

_**For those of you who got the Llamas with Hats reference in the disclaimer, right on! I freaking love those videos.**_

_**Aileen: "You're such a nerd."**_

_**Crimrose4all: "And mighty proud of it. If I wasn't, you wouldn't exist."**_

_**Aileen: "…I suppose that's true."**_

_**Crimrose4all: "Would you like some corn?!"**_

_**Aileen: "You are just bizarre."**_

_**Crimrose4all: "Just mimicking my nana. Please leave a review to tell me what you think! *Does happy dance because of all the super nice people who have followed, favourited, and reviewed this story*"**_

_**Aileen: "I guess some humans out there are okay…"**_


	7. Chapter 7

_**Am I the only one enjoying Ikuto's appearances in every chapter so far? Because I am. I'm enjoying it a lot (gee, wonder who my favourite character is in Shugo Chara).**_

_**Aileen: "Honestly, I'm finding it horrifying."**_

_**Crimrose4all: "Okay, honestly, in a chapter or so, you say something so incredibly stupid that it blew my mind, and I wrote it. Don't criticize anybody, mmkay?"**_

_**Aileen: "*Stunned* What the hell do I say?! WHAT DO YOU MAKE ME DO?!"**_

_**Crimrose4all: "*Snickers* I enjoy making all of my main character's lives miserable."**_

_**Aileen: "Now who's that sadist?!"**_

_**Crimrose4all: "Still you."**_

_**Disclaimer: I do not own Shugo Chara.**_

_**Aileen: "…"**_

_**Crimrose4all: "No witty retort? Wow, I thought silence was impossible for you."**_

_**Aileen: "…I am going to kill you while you sleep."**_

_**Crimrose4all: "Thank you Alyjayne123 and 2takuya for the absolutely lovely reviews!"**_

Chapter XII: No, Really, I Don't Like Him That Way...

"March break just comes and goes," Miki sighed, glancing around at the scenery.

"Yeah," I muttered.

"Aileen?" Su asked, looking concerned. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing much..." But those words lacked focus. Something was very wrong.

My birthday was today.

I was eighteen now.

It had officially been fourteen years since that day.

Guilt and suffering were eating me alive, inside out. I couldn't believe that I had lived this long. I should've been the one to die that day. But I was alive and... kind of healthy, if you don't count swearing off direct human blood.

They must have been able to feel my grief, too, because my Guardian Characters were uncharacteristically quiet. I carried a dark cloud above my head, causing the student body to keep their distance.

"Aileen!" Nadeshiko called, waving her hand at me. "You'll never guess! My classes were switched, so I'm with you now!"

I smiled, but it felt wobbly. "That's great."

Her face instantly became concerned. "Is something wrong?"

"No, no," I said quickly. "I just hate Mondays."

I have no clue why everything always happens to me.

So here I was, nonchalantly walking in the hall to my English class. Then, out of fucking nowhere, an adult and a pile of books came crashing on to me. I was about ready to pick him up and wring his neck when he laughed nervously and apologized.

He looked to be about middle aged, with dull orange hair with so many cowlicks I doubted he even brushed his hair and just shoved it into a ponytail. He wore a beige suit and green tie, and he was about six feet, maybe shorter. He also seemed like a retard, so I just ignored him and didn't accept his apology.

"Don't tell me," he said, squinting behind his rimless glasses. "You're... Aileen Howard?"

I sighed.

"Oh, it is you!" He gasped, floundering to pick up all of his books and files. "I'm actually going to be your new English teacher; my name is Mr. Nikaido..."

Yada, yada, yada, I tuned out halfway through his sentence, got up, and just left him there to pick up the damn papers on his own.

English was bustling when I got in and sat down in my seat by the window, Nadeshiko only a few feet away and smiling at me. My morning just kept getting more and more terrible.

The bell rang loudly, making everyone jump. That Mr. Nikaido came wobbling into the classroom, trying to balance all of his files, papers, and books. Kids laughed at the way he stumbled. I hoped he realized that if he didn't get his act together, these teenagers were going to eat him alive.

"I'm your new English teacher, Mr. Nikaido..." He paused in his intro, shuffling through the papers. "Huh? Where did I put the attendance folder...?"

In his paper shuffle, he managed to trip and clatter a bunch of papers to the ground. Everyone laughed (but me, obviously) at his clumsiness.

"Lucky!" He said, emerging from the pile holding a red file folder. "Found the attendance!"

That made everyone laugh even harder. But I stared at him. Because I can manipulate the element of spirit, I could sense something stirring underneath the clumsy and disorganized surface of this man. Something dark and sinister...

Ignoring that, I could tell that I was not going to like this guy at all. I hated goofy people, whether they were goofy on purpose or not.

But what terrified me was that with him as a new teacher, the day was going to fly by.

"Miss Yuiki, can I trust you with working on the recommendations for graduation awards?" Tadase asked as he looked through a bunch of paperwork.

"Roger," Yaya yelled with a mouth full of shortbread.

"And Miss Howard...," he said. I waited eagerly for something to take my mind off the inevitable. "Nothing." Damn. He smiled at me. "You have time to yourself."

Okay, I hate to admit it, but his warm smile was starting to get to me a bit. How can he remain so light in a world full of dark? I was beginning to admire him again, no matter how averse I was to it. "Whatever."

"I'm already finished," Nadeshiko said politely, making sure the stack of papers she held were matched corner to corner. "Would you like me to walk out with you?"

Damn it, I didn't want to face it! "Uh, sure..."

Nadeshiko and I walked onto the pathway that led to the front gates. That was when the forbidden subject was brought up.

"You're not progressing at all," she sighed.

I groaned. "I'm working on it! Paperwork isn't my thin-"

"I didn't mean that," she interjected with a wink. "I meant with Tadase! He hasn't thought much of you yet!"

"What?!" I demanded, finding it hard to believe that she was still hooked on this subject. "I've been telling you, I really don't-"

She pissed me off even more by cutting in again. "Just ask, and I'll help you in any way I can." She smiled warmly. "Okay?"

"Nadeshiko, please, I don't like-"

"Oh, I have to go!" She gasped, glancing at that stupid watch of hers. "See you tomorrow, Aileen!" And with that, she was gone.

I sighed extremely heavily. "Why won't anyone get that I don't feel that way about Tadase?"

Ran giggled. "Because your stare."

My face flushed. "I don't mean to! I stare at everybody, if you haven't noticed."

"Aileen," Scarlet murmured, bringing me back to the issue at hand.

Nodding, I was about to shuffle for the gate, when I heard someone scream my name at the top of their lungs.

"What the-" I gasped as I whirled around to see a girl (probably a freshman) charging for me at full speed.

At first, I thought it might be a lackey of Wolfram, or worse, and exorcist. But as she approached, I realized that it was just a human girl getting ready to attack me. "You're mine!" She hissed while jumping in the air to pin me down.

I, however, grabbed her hands right out of the air, pulled her down, then locked her in a sleeper hold. Falling to my knees, I never let go of my death grip. A human who dares to challenge me-

Slapping her hand against the pavement, she wheezed out a strangled laugh. "I give, I give!" She choked.

Reluctantly, I let go of my deadly hold on her neck. She rubbed it tenderly while giggling. "You pass!" She exclaimed.

"Um," I muttered, at a loss for words.

"Sorry if I scared you," she yelled with hearty laughter. "People say that I'm too energetic."

"I agree," I muttered, giving her the evil eye.

"Haha!" Was all she responded with. "My name is Misaki, and I challenge you!"

Jesus. "To what?"

"I," she confessed, suddenly blushing like a little girl. "Have fallen for Tadase Hotori!"

What the fuck...? "Okay?"

"I thought we could help each other out!" She nodded enthusiastically, her insane hairstyle filled with ponytails and braids flailing everywhere. "Since you like him, too."

"Honestly, I don't feel that way about-"

"And besides," she continued, ignoring me. "He already rejected you in front of everyone!"

That stung. Sure, I didn't feel that way about Tadase. But rejection to anything still hurt. So that made me glare at her.

"That doesn't mean that I'm going to-"

Curse her to hell for cutting me off again. "We are partners, no matter what you say! We will meet tomorrow on the roof for a strategy meeting!" She zoomed away before I could respond.

My body was twitching, my tolerance being at a dangerously low level. "Aileen...," Su whimpered, seeming frightened.

"It doesn't even matter anymore," I sighed while rubbing my temples and the headache that was slowly developing. "I have something to do."

Leaving the light of the greenhouse and the Guardians behind, I felt myself droop like a McDonald's french fry. The dreaded time was here, but I couldn't just not go. I found it mandatory. And every time, I felt almost as if paying my respects would ease my guilt. But it never does.

The day was noticeably gray now, matching my mood perfectly. My first stop was the florist, and I couldn't walk down a damn street without getting a variety of looks. Some glares, some loving, you know.

To try and cheer up the spirits and myself, I ended up getting a very colourful bouquet of fresh flowers. I didn't want this day to get any darker.

I realized I had jinxed it when I walked out of the shop and found myself wet with rain. It wasn't soft, but not hard enough to make you duck and cover. I didn't have an umbrella, so I just continued on unprotected.

It was almost as if everyone I passed was a hulking shadow, staring down at me. I knew that everyone had their own darkness and I was insignificant to them. I just didn't like humans looking at me like they could eat me alive. Physically, no, that was my job. But emotionally, it's almost like everyone chewed me up and spat me out, disgusted. No specks of colour here. Not even the flowers seemed to stand out.

But then I saw the familiar midnight blue and pale skin. And that smirk. The long stride.

Damn it.

"What are you up to?" Ikuto asked, easily falling into step beside me.

I sighed heavily. People stared at us like we were on display. "Are you stalking me or something?" I was trying to keep my answers short; maybe he'd go away.

"Maybe." Oooh, I was going to kick him... "But I also live around here."

"And I needed to know this because...?"

"So I can lure you into my trap." The smirk widened. "What's with the flowers?"

"Were you planning on following me?"

"Yes."

"Then you'll find out."

With reluctance, I continued north-east with Ikuto beside me with his shirt pulled up over his head. There was a fog settling in, making it impossible to see my destination until we got close.

But Ikuto seemed to recognize the direction. "Are you going to the _cemetery_? Why?"

"To grave rob." He seemed to think I was serious, so I rolled my eyes. "To pay my respects, like a normal person." I wasn't a normal person, but he didn't need to know that.

His mouth twitched slightly, almost a frown. "Someone close to you died?"

I couldn't look at him. "Yeah, something like that."

Finally, the looming shadow of the cemetery could be seen through the screen of rain and fog. I felt the prickly presence in my chest courtesy of my relationship with the spirit element. I could sense spirits and prayers, which is really annoying and strong in a place like a cemetery.

As soon as we entered, I could see the huge marble tombstone that curled into a cross at the top. Every year, someone (and I seriously didn't know who) put a Binding spell on the grave, so no one could steal the bones- or ashes- from it. This year was no different, but the spell still wasn't very strong. And since Ikuto was with me, I couldn't make it stronger.

We stopped in front of the six foot tall tombstone, which had a lot of names on it. But, at the top in huge lettering and bold script was two names that made Ikuto looked surprised and confused.

The names read, "_In loving memory of Flynn Vartiter and Shane Rozen. The best friends, family, and Officials in all of the worlds. You will be dearly missed_".

"Is that the Flynn and Shane that used to be some of the most powerful government officials in the world? The world leaders?"

It was. It was also my mother and father.

This was my family's grave that had been transported here from our homeland. The grave that was only here because of me.

"How do you know them?" Ikuto asked.

I didn't respond. Instead, I gently laid the bouquet of colour at the foot of the grave. I began to speak to it as if they were with me.

"I can't believe it's been fourteen years as of today," I said bitterly. Ikuto looked at me like I was going to fall apart in front of him. "So much stuff had been going on recently that I didn't think was possible." A small smile tickled the sides of my mouth. "Believe it or not, I'm actually meeting a lot of new people and making friends."

"I kind of wish that you could meet them," I continued. "I guess a... _frienemy _is here with me now, and he's a weird one." I looked at Ikuto with raised eyebrows. "Nonetheless, I miss you more than anything in the world." My insides suddenly felt shaky and overflowing with bitter feelings. "I can't believe I've gone on without you here. The world looks so dark and gray, even though I've only known you for four years. I lost you so quickly that I must have grown up so messed up."

I was being very careful to not suggest that they were family. The world, including Ikuto, knew me as Aileen Howard, and it was going to stay that way. But, to myself, I would always be Aileen Vartiter, the child that killed her own family.

"Also, I wish the rain would stop." I wasn't talking about the weather, and Ikuto must've known it because his face turned sad. "I still haven't seen the sun. And..." I swear that a tear fell from my eye, no matter how hard I tried to hold it back. "I don't think I have much longer."

Rain suddenly splattered my face with a lot more force. Like I was controlling it with my emotions, which was probably the case. I was so bitter and sad and lonely that it could've rained forever and ever. No sun would come up.

My face was suddenly shielded from the rain from what looked and smelt like Ikuto's shirt. I looked up at him, stunned.

His black tee shirt stuck to his chest with rain (and I know it's a ruiner, but _damn did he look good_). He looked at me with serious eyes that bored into me, which made me squirm. He scratched his head, which I noticed is what he did when he was trying to think of something to say.

"I don't know exactly what's going on," he said while crossing his arms like he didn't really care, but his expression implied that he did. "But this isn't like you. I don't like it. And I think that you're light yourself. Some people just can't see who they really are, and how much inner light they hold. Just don't give up any hope, okay, Aileen?"

Sun suddenly stopped the rain and broke through the clouds, warming me up comfortably, for once. The light could've been blinding and it just kind of broke through. Like my widening eyes at Ikuto's words. He stood and I kneeled, both soaking wet, but now illuminated by sunshine. Warm feelings fluttered in my chest like a caged bird, feelings I had never felt before.

He didn't know what he was talking about, and we both knew it. But those words meant so much more to me than anything else in my life. I felt like the sun had broken through my everlasting night, for the first time in my life. I felt connected to him in a way, something I never knew was possible.

It was almost as if I had been waiting for him.

"Sh- shut it!" I yelled as I stood up. But my face felt so red and warm, and I instantly knew I was blushing more than I ever had before. "And I don't need this!" I whipped his shirt off my head and hit him in the stomach with it.

He smiled. "That's more like it."

I had to put my arm over my mouth to hide the flush. I had never felt so warm in my entire life. I couldn't even sense the hostility of the spirits, or feel any bad feelings.

I felt like the ice in my heart had melted in that instant.

"Beat it!" I yelled while shooing him. "You don't have to know what this is about."

He slicked his shirt on again and shook water droplets out of his hair. "Whatever you say."

"I'm serious!"

"I bet."

"IKUTO!"

He smiled at my yelling his name, for whatever reason. It was then I realized that I had never actually called him by his name before. But he couldn't be smiling because of that.

My mind wouldn't come off of those warm, fluttery feelings I had felt in my heart earlier. My heart also beat faster, and that was kind of bad.

What was this feeling...? Why did I feel like I could talk to Ikuto about things, trust him, and why did I want to be near him suddenly? I never knew anything about these feelings. I had no explanation for what they were. But they weren't all that bad, actually...

"Welcome home, birthday girl!" Anthony squealed girlishly as soon as I got in the damn door.

I held my hand up to his face to block an oncoming hug. "I swear to God that if you burst into song, today will be your death anniversary, too."

His arms dropped and he laughed. "I can't believe I have to obey you when I've been alive for a lot longer. One hundred years for me, and eighteen for you."

"I'm so young," I said happily.

"To other Vampires, eighteen years old could be considered only being a fetus in the womb versus the human teenager."

"Mmm, maybe not that young..."

"Happy birthday!" The twins yelled from the kitchen. "We're helping Mommy bake you a cake!" They were shushed by Felicia.

"Why do I have to die on my own birthday...?"

As if on cue, an explosion came from the kitchen. Anthony and I rushed in to see chocolate cake splattered on the walls, but most of it was on Felicia.

"Oh, God, thank you," I sighed. I didn't have to eat the death cake.

"Sorry," Felicia grumbled. "At least I bought one earlier..."

"Is the oven okay?" I glanced over to it, but it wasn't smoking or anything.

Felicia sniffed. "It wasn't in the oven."

"Dear lord."

Nice to know that she could make food explode by preparing it. That must mean a really wounded pride. So from now on, I'm making the food for this damn family.

I quickly changed out of my altered uniform (it's been altered on the shirt. Regularly, it would be a white button down shirt with a black dress jacket on top. But my chest was too big, so I got a large white button down shirt and a stretchy black sweater that went below the breast line and just covered my arms and midriff so I could breathe) into regular dark wash jeans and a evergreen tee shirt. Dreading the disaster that awaited me downstairs (I hated birthdays), I took it slow on the stairs.

It was worse than I thought.

Lucky for me, it was just the residents of the house at the table. A large triple chocolate cake sat on the middle of the table, and I was about ready to pounce on it. The room was only illuminated by candlelight, and everyone had a smile on their face. It seemed really cheesy, so I hated it so much. Not that I'd ever say that; I appreciated the effort. And it's better than the damn sweet sixteens some chicks have...

"Happy birthday," everyone said together. In this moment, one would think that we were a real family. It would be nice to pretend for one night, but the day my real family was murdered on this day fourteen years ago weighed to heavily on my shoulders.

Although I was killing myself with all the chocolate and root beer that I was chugging down. If I wasn't a Vampire, I'd probably be having a heart attack by now. The Guardian Characters seemed to be enjoying themselves thoroughly (well, you know, except Scarlet) and Su made the biggest dent in the cake I'd imagine a Guardian could make. She belched loudly, making the other Guardians and me laugh. I got some weird looks for that.

I brought my Wii downstairs from my room so we could play Just Dance 3 and Glee Karaoke (I don't like Glee, at all, I've never even seen it; I just like to karaoke). This was the type of party I liked, where it was with close family and where I kicked ass at video games.

But then came present time.

I hated presents more than anything. I felt so selfish to be on the receiving end and having people spend money on me. So this was almost as dreaded as my trip to the cemetery.

Out of curiosity, I decided to open the present that was _squeaking _first. It didn't surprise me that it was from Anthony. What, with it making noises and holes poked into it precariously.

I hesitated as I had it on my lap. For one thing, I hated everyone's attention being on me. For another, it smelt like piss. To save whatever was dying in there, I tore it open.

Oh my God. Anthony got me a damn ferret (or as I mispronounced when I was young, 'faggot').

And I'll be damned if it wasn't the most adorable thing I have ever seen in my life. It was a milk chocolate brown, with a white raccoon mask on its face. It's little paws were white like they were little shoes. It lifted its pink nose up to sniff me, its whiskers twitching.

This. Was. The. Cutest. Thing. I. Have. Ever. Seeeeeeen!

"To make up for the cat incident," Anthony chuckled while scratching his head shyly.

"A ferret, Anthony?" Felicia asked with her eyes narrowed into slits. "I don't doubt that she'll be able to take care of it, but you got the Vampire Overlord one of the most vicious little demons in this realm?"

"_You _got her a cat."

"I thought she'd get lonely!"

"I arrest my case."

"Even so, I doubt Aileen is a big animal fan," Felicia huffed with a big ol' smirk on her face.

"It's so CUTE!" I yelled, scaring them all shitless. I opened the cage door it was in to hold it and feel the adorable thing. It struggled in my hands at first, but I transferred comforting feelings to its little soul. I could feel that it wasn't hostile; just freaked out. It kept thinking things like, "Where am I?".

"Hello," I murmured while cuddling it to my cheek. It sniffed my face, its whiskers tickling like tiny pillow feathers. The it crawled onto my shoulder and wrapped itself on my neck, just chilling there.

"Awwwww," the twins sighed. "It's adorable!"

"I think it likes you," Harry said with a huge, toothy smile.

"What are you going to name it?"

To make sure, I picked it up and gingerly held it so that I could see the sex. It was a girl, apparently.

"Hmmm." It had to be something cool and suiting for this magnificent animal. "I'm naming her... Fluffy."

I got a lot of laughs.

"Shut up!" I yelled, my face flushing. "I'm short on ideas."

"You're short, period."

"Fine!" I looked into her black eyes. "I'm naming her Cruz."

_In my mind, you will always be Fluffy, _I whispered into its mind.

I got a response. _That name is degrading. _

Damn ferret. "Shut up!" I yelled aloud. I could almost see her laughing. I was in the spotlight like a comedian that just made a fool of themselves.

"Okay, okay, next gift!" I said while putting Cruz in her cage.

Yeah, Sonata and Aria got me tape. A big roll of duct tape. It probably accounted for the fact of the number of times I said I wished I could tape their mouths shut. They were short a few tea cups from the set.

Next came one of Felicia and Harry's gifts. Like any other teenage girl, I was worried about what they had got me. But it was something on a very ornately carved mahogany jewelry box.

"What...?" I asked, confused.

Felicia smiled. "You already know that I was close with your mother. Well, she gave these to me a few days before the incident. She said they were for you when the time came."

I hadn't expected this. A present from my mother. My dead mother. No matter what it was, I knew I would love it more than my life.

I opened the lid carefully and gasped.

It was a box full of letters. And, sitting on top of them delicately, was a black velvet choker with a cross that swung from a short chain. In the middle of the cross was a ruby- a legit ruby- that was in the shape of a butterfly. It gleamed and sparkled in the candlelight, and it was long enough that it would fall into my cleavage (damn).

Shifting it carefully out of the way, thinking that I would always wear it, I picked up one of the letters. It made a cracking sound as I did, so I could tell it was pretty old. It was addressed to my father, from my mother. They were all for my mother or father from each other. My heart thumped at the thought of secret love letters.

Slipping my finger carefully along the fold, I flipped it open. My eyes widened at what I saw.

_You're such a loser. _Wow, Mom... _I can't believe that you let your own parents treat you that way. My Dad's an ass and look what I did. I took a fucking stand. _Mother... _You think I'm dressing as a guy and strapping my boobs to my chest _(what?!) _for nothing? Newsflash; parents suck. Don't let them tell you who you're going to marry. You're a man- at least, I think so- so don't let them control you like that! Dinkus. _

I just found out that my mother was an amazing person...

At least I now knew where my headstrong and no bullshit personality came from...

"You're just like your mom," Felicia said, almost to herself.

"I just noticed that," I smiled while setting the box aside for later.

"Next present!" Henry chirped happily, and I knew that he picked it out. "Here you go, my beautiful and responsible girl."

I narrowed my eyes at the emphasis he put on responsible. The box he handed me was tiny and cardboard (he sucks at wrapping _anything_). I shook it, wondering what could be this small besides jewelry, and I heard the jingle of something. I took the lid off.

Keys.

"These look like...," I said while picking them up and holding them to my eyes. "Car keys."

Harry smiled like he won the lottery.

"Holy-" I started, then made a beeline for the back door with them following. I thrust it open and, sure enough, there was a motherfucking car in the driveway.

Not just any car. A maserati gran-turismo. I knew enough about it to know that it was top of the line and cost a fortune.

"Holy crappers!" I yelled while I ran into the drive. I heard chuckles behind me. "You're giving me a frickin' car?! This must have cost a fortune!"

The smile Harry had on was blinding. "Nothing's too expensive for my daughter."

His daughter. Harry though of me like one of his own, despite all of the sins I had committed. That had to be the best gist of all.

Well, that, and a fucking car! Wooooo!

They kept laughing at me, but the little victory dance I was doing didn't help. I had gotten my license; I just didn't like driving very much. Plus, we only had two cars, one was Felicia's and Harry's, and the other was Anthony's. I didn't like using anything of their things. And they didn't get me a car earlier probably because I was a teenager going into high school; they most likely thought that I was going to sneak out or something. Not that I needed a car for that, but just in case.

The whole town must have hear the little party going on at the creepy old Victorian mansion at the top of the north Hotori, surrounded by forest and a foreboding aura. Yeah, we were Vampires.

And total nutsos, to top it off.

But I didn't drive the car to school the next day. I wanted to break it in and all. Plus, it was really flashy and crimson in colour. I didn't want to attract any unnecessary attention until the time was right.

The Guardians noticed my chirpy mood. They also wished me a belated happy birthday. I got another noogie from Kukai, and I admitted that I got a car for my birthday and would run him over with it if he didn't knock it off. Good old Harry, getting me a birthday present that could be used for Hit and Runs.

Regardless, the day still seemed to drag on. I had to admit to myself that my good mood wasn't only from the birthday party.

It was also from Ikuto's words yesterday.

Not that I'd ever say it.

And before I knew it, it was the appointed time to meet that crazy chick from yesterday on the roof. At lunch, I bought a bottle of Coke from the vending machine and marched up the staircase that led to the roof.

She was already there, leaning against the refinery carved marble railings. When she caught sight of me, she seemed to jump up and down.

The Guardian Characters got a kick out of her weirdness. To be honest, I thought that she was totally insane.

"Hello, Aileen Howard!" She yelled while pointing at me. Her hair was as crazy as yesterday, the chocolate brown tied into all kinds of braids and ponytails. My hair looked so plain in style; I always kept it down. But I had her beat in colour and length. Her's went to her shoulders, mine fell just past my butt. Her's was an ordinary brown, mine was crimson like blood. Not red enough to be called a ginger, but not plain enough to say that it was dyed.

"Hey," I muttered. It came out muffled because my lips were pressed to the Coke bottle.

"Strategy meeting!" She screamed so suddenly I jumped. "How was Tadase today?"

"Um, he was fine. Cheery," I added while glaring into the distance.

"Excellent...," she murmured while rubbing her hands together like a mass villain. "Yesterday, I watched that psychic's show-"

"Nobuko Saeki?" I asked to confirm. That was the show I was watching the night I wished for my Guardian Characters (indirectly). They seemed to remember, and they smiled at me.

"Yes!" She confirmed. "And she said this was a surefire love charm!" Misaki held up a piece of paper with a star drawn on it in pink high liter with her name on the front. "He has to write his name on the back for the charm to be complete."

Damn, I had to watch that show. It would be good for a few laughs.

"But there are rivals that will definitely get in the way," she muttered while clutching her hand into a menacing fist.

Whoever they were, _run_. "What rivals?" I asked skeptically.

"For one, Saaya Yamabuki and her Tadase fan club!" She practically wailed while pointing to the window in the next building where I could see Saaya and a bunch of other girls talking. Oh my God. "Her lackeys reported to her that there were new rivals going around. Us," she clarified.

Why was I always included in the equation? "And they see you as a threat?"

"_We _are a threat since you're a Guardian." She beamed at me.

I sighed. "Who are some other rivals?"

"The biggest one of all..." She paused for dramatic effect. "NADESHIKO FUJISAKI!"

What? Kind, innocent Nadeshiko? It didn't seem like she was capable of stuff like that...

"What makes you think she's the biggest threat?"

"She's the Queen in the Guardians. She's the closest post to Tadase, and she probably takes advantage of his innocence!" Misaki was visibly seething.

"I don't think Nadeshiko's like that," I objected.

"Never trust a rival!" I just got scolded by an insane human. "Every person with a bust is a rival! Lucky for me, you're already on my side."

She just entered the forbidden territory. "Okay, I don't even like-"

"There he is!" She squealed suddenly. Tadase was obliviously walking through the courtyard, minding his own business and greeting the passerby.

He must have felt someone looking at him, because he looked up from his business and smiled at me with a wave. Irritatingly enough, I felt my face flush as I jerked a wave back. Then I noticed Misaki hiding behind the railings.

"What are you doing?" I asked while kneeling next to her. "Aren't you going to say hi?"

"Sh-shut up!" She yelled right in my ear. "I get nervous, okay?!"

That made me smirk. "You wouldn't think."

"Regardless!" She stood from her mock fetal position and waved the paper in my face. "We have to find him now and make him sign this!"

I pulled a red sucker out from my pocket that I got from Yaya earlier. I gave her weird look as I unwrapped it. "You believe in silly superstitions?"

She seemed confused. "Don't you?"

Well, that got a snort out of me. "More than you know."

"Then let's go! We don't have all damn day."

And thus began the epic journey of us travelling all around the school, searching for Tadase. It seemed like everywhere he last was, he was gone from when we got there. What a bastard. But, finally, Misaki burst into the student council room and yelled if Tadase was there. It was him and him alone in the room, looking very confused.

Either way, he smiled brightly. "Hello Miss Howard and your new friend. May I help you?"

I shook my head, my hair getting stuck on my sticky red sucker lips. "I don't need your help." I shoved Misaki forward, my way of encouraging her.

She seemed really nervous when she looked back at me, and I made shooing motions.

"U-um!" She stuttered in front of Tadase.

"Yes?"

"Can..." She trailed off and looked at me again. I took the sucker out of my mouth and stuck my tongue out at her. She rolled her eyes and went back to her job. "Can you sign this?!" She shoved the paper and pink highlighter in front of his face.

"Uh, sure." Tadase carefully took the paper and highlighter from her and signed the back, right where he was supposed to. He smiled brilliantly at her. "There you go."

Misaki clutched the paper to her chest. "Prince," she sighed.

Shit.

"Prince...?" Tadase began as the crown came out. "Did you just call me...?"

I cut him off by putting a trash bin over his head. "Give us a minute," I smiled sweetly to Misaki as he boiled under my makeshift shield. I shoved him out the door faster than was humanly possible, and he ran right into Nadeshiko.

"Problems?" She giggled, inspecting the banana peel that was starting to drip out of the trash.

With a quick nod, I shoved him towards her. "He's about ready to blow, and I have other arrangements." As quickly as I could, I scurried back to the student council room.

And saw something bizarre. Misaki, Saaya and Saaya's groupies were striking up a conversation.

"You must surely understand," Saaya continued explaining. Apparently, no one noticed me. "That you are only causing trouble for Lord Tadase." Lord...? "He hates overly energetic girls, such as yourself." Her ugly hair was flipped over her shoulder.

Misaki stuck out her tongue, but I could tell that affected her more than she let on. "Whatever!" Then she ran right past me into the hall.

For eavesdropping purposes, I slid behind the door and fell totally silent.

"But, Miss Saaya," one of the lackeys said with a worried expression. "It said in Lord Tadase's file that he liked energetic and different girls..."

"You know that, I know that," Saaya giggled. "But she'll never know that."

"Something else that should have been mentioned in Tadase's file," I murmured too sweetly for comfort while stepping through the door with a huge grin on my face. "Is that he hates backstabbing whores."

"Aileen Howard!" Saaya gasped. "If you know what's good for you and your family's business, you will not breathe a word of this to anyone."

"It's such a shame that your threats mean nothing to me," I sighed while the smile began to turn feral. "And Aileen Howard doesn't exist." I slammed the door shut behind me and locked it.

I turned what probably was my glowing golden eyes on them, making them gasp in fear.

"There's only Aileen Vartiter."

-Misaki-

Marching down the hall with my head held high, I kept thinking aloud and got some weird looks from my fellow peers. "They don't know what they're talking about," I said.

Tadase was the one who accepted me, instead of rejecting me. The way he spoke to me...

_"La laaa laaa laaaaaaaa!" I kept singing as I marched down the walkway to head home._

_ Suddenly, I heard a quiet chuckle behind me. My face flushing, I whirled around to see who it was._

_ Oh my God, Tadase Hotori was laughing at me!_

_ "Oh!" I yelled, shocked and embarrassed. "I'm sorry I was so loud. I'm always told I'm too energetic." I laughed nervously._

_ "It's alright," he smiled at me as the sun set. "I like energetic girls."_

Those words captured my heart like a moth to a flame. No one has ever complimented my energy before, and that made my heart suddenly beat at an abnormal rate. I've been in love with him since.

"Whew," said familiar soft voice. "I hate Character Changing like that."

Tadase Hotori! My face scrunched up when I saw that he was talking with Nadeshiko Fujisaki about whatever the hell 'Character Changing' was.

Wanting to listen in further, I discreetly ducked into the classroom nearest to them, which appeared to be physics, with all the beakers and periodic table posters.

"It can't be helped," Nadeshiko giggled like a filthy succubus.

"I know," Tadase sighed. "But _I hate all that energy._"

_I hate all that energy. I hate all that energy. I hate all that energy..._

Those words kept echoing in my head like a broken record. It felt like I had snapped in two inside.

I stepped out from my hiding place in physics to face him squarely.

"Oh!" He said, surprised at my sudden appearance. "You're Miss Howard's friend, right?"

_Please don't let it be true, _I prayed. I pulled up all my nerve to ask my most dreaded question. "Do you really hate all that energy?"

He seemed shocked, then ashamed. "Yeah, it's really troublesome sometimes."

I was far gone before he could say anything else.

Even though he said those warm words to me before, I should've known that it was a lie. No one likes too much energy. No wonder I saw him look at Aileen Howard while flushing a bit. She was always cool and collected, unlike me. No one could ever love someone with all this energy.

Feeling like my lungs would burst if I didn't, I stopped running under the shade of a willow tree. No one would love me. I couldn't change who I was, so no one would love this energy.

Deep and husky, a voice came from the darkness. "Yes, that's it. Let yourself fall into the darkness..."

And before I knew it, darkness was all I felt. My vision felt blurry and my heart felt empty. A gaping hole in my universe where my heart should be. Darkness where my light should be.

There was no escape now.

No one would ever love me.

Aileen Howard suddenly materialized out of nowhere, but I couldn't feel any emotion about it.

"Misaki!" She said, scowling at me. "I've been looking for you! I heard those girls talking to you, and I wanted to let you know that-"

"It doesn't matter," I said. But the voice wasn't mine. It sounded soulless and lost. "They were right. No one could love all the energy."

Then I turned to look at her, and her honey gold eyes seemed to widen then glare at something above me. "It's all useless."

Darkness was suddenly all around me, and everything I felt was empty. I couldn't see, couldn't think. But there was also pain. Pain in my chest, where my heart was. But it wasn't beating normally. If anything, it was too slow. Like it was going to stop soon.

Suddenly a picture appeared in my mind, like watching a movie. I knew I wasn't actually seeing it; I couldn't see anything. But it was in my head like I was seeing it with my brain.

Aileen dressed as some kind of dark, skimpy cheerleader. She was lashing out attacks on whoever's perspective I was seeing. But whatever it was kept moving out of the way just in time. A pillar of flame hissed out of a flare gun at it, but missed. Her face was agitated.

She was suddenly thrown backward by what looked like whips of solidified darkness, but was caught by Tadase. She looked up at him with a slightly red face, and he smiled at her.

Everything was suddenly too hot, like boiling. The perspectives edges were tainted red by fury, and I wanted to scream. But I felt numb, and no sound would come out.

Tadase shielded her from more attacks. This made the picture keep getting redder and redder, the flame burning hotter and hotter. It wouldn't stop. I knew I was going to burn soon...

But Aileen suddenly looked up angrily and shoved out from behind Tadase.

"No one said energy is bad!" She screamed at the perspective, but I heard it almost like she was talking to me. "You're twisting what you hear because you're afraid. Afraid of facing yourself and of people actually hating you. But I like you." A smile took residence on her face. "I think your energy is great, if anything. It distracts me from my own thoughts, and I appreciate that."

The red and heat were fading away...

"Energy is good." Her expression looked broken. "You have more fuel to hope. And who wouldn't love that?"

There was no longer boiling heat, but rather warmth. And the dark was fading away, being replaced by a pleasant radiance. The picture faded away, but I could tell things were still happening. Because my heart suddenly felt full and warm and fluttery, like falling in love. But suddenly, all I could remember thinking was...

'Thank you...'

And then everything snapped up like an elastic band. My eyes opened, and I saw blue sky, white puffy clouds, and budding trees. And Aileen standing over me, eyes wild.

"You IDIOT!" She pulled me off of the grass' soft carpet by my shoulders. "Don't just give up on yourself because of something stupid Tadase said! Never let guys get to you like that!" In the background, Tadase kind of looked offended.

But he still agreed. He scratched his head nervously, tousling his perfect golden locks (drool). "I'm sorry if I mislead you. When I said I hated all the energy, I was talking about me exploding like I do." He smiled warmly. "But you're energy is pure and great."

"Think of it as a tree," Aileen said while gazing at the willow tree we were under. "If they don't have the energy to grow, they'd never become so strong and tall and leave a mark even if they're cut down." She smiled slightly. "The stump."

"Oh..." Was all I could think of to say. She was right; and Tadase was looking at her like she was brilliant and beautiful. The shade of red his face was said it all.

He liked her.

And she was oblivious to him.

But I wouldn't give up. That's what having energy and being strong was about. I don't remember why, but I felt like Aileen taught me that.

-Aileen-

_I wish to be like a tree._

_Budding so proudly._

_Nothing can stand above me._

_For I am the tallest of them all, the strongest of them all, the firmest of them all._

_But on the inside, I can't even become a shrub._

_Just wishing isn't powerful enough._

_**I wrote that poem at the end myself. *Sniffs proudly* I do a lot of stuff like that for any story, so I recommend getting used to it.**_

_**Yaya: "Please leave a super wonderful fantastical review, 'kay?!"**_

_**Crimrose4all: *Munch munch***_

_**Yaya: "Are you… eating cake while you write this…?"**_

_**Crimrose4all: "Maybe."**_

_**Yaya: "Give it."**_

_**Crimrose4all: "No. S'mine."**_


	8. Chapter 8

_**This would be the chapter that Aileen says something incredibly stupid, and will probably make a lot of people face palm and just mutter "Oh my god."**_

_**Aileen: "Seriously, what do I say?!"**_

_**Crimrose4all: "*Shakes head in dismay at Aileen's stupidity* You'll find out. I'm so ashamed of you."**_

_**Aileen: "B-but you made me do it!"**_

_**Ikuto: "You really are dumb sometimes, kid."**_

_**Aileen: "I AM NOT A KID!"**_

_**Disclaimer: I do not own Shugo Chara.**_

_**Tadase: "*Smiles encouragingly* Don't worry, Miss Howard! It'll be alright! You can't sit alone in that corner sadly forever!"**_

_**Aileen: "I surrender."**_

_**Crimrose4all: "Challenge accpeted."**_

Chapter XIII: Way Off The Mark

_I am lost in a sea of emotion_

_The waves have already been set into motion_

_No life preserver can save me _

_From drowning inside of the darkness within me_

I slapped my old notebook shut as Yaya tried to peek at what I was writing, making the cover fall off more than it already was. It was so tattered and ancient that it was like I've had it for years, which was true. All the more reason for her not to see the thoughts that have flooded my mind for years.

This made her pout. "I wanna see it! Just thinking of what kind of stuff you write makes me drool." She was literally drooling.

The cover fell off almost completely as I shoved it in my bag. "No way in hell, and you might want a napkin for that problem."

Yaya laughed nervously and took that advice. "You know I will get my hands on that notebook someday," she threatened. "I am relentless."

"I know," I sighed. But I would do whatever it took to keep the red spiral notebook, filled to the brim with me, away from her. It had song lyrics in there, poems, and just thoughts that flew through my head. Even my Guardian Characters have never seen it, and they live with me.

"Right?" I asked them with raised eyebrows.

They all looked nervous (but Scarlet). "Riiiiiight...," Ran giggled nervously.

"So my father said that you can come any time tonight," Tadase said while smiling at Kukai.

"Cool," Kukai responded while nodding. "Should I bring anything?"

"Just your warm, peppy attitude to ease the chill that has nothing to do with the cold."

"You're funny, King."

"Aww, are you guys having a sleepover?" Yaya teased while poking Kukai suggestively.

"Well, Yaya, I didn't know that you felt so strongly about me to be jealous," he shot back.

"Shut up!" She yelled. "I never said anything like that!"

"It was implied."

"GET YOUR MIND OUT OF THE GUTTER!"

"I think you should be telling Aileen that," Kukai snickered. "She sure looks fascinated at the thought of a sleepover between guys."

"What?!" I screamed, flushing. "No, no, nothing like that! I just..." I trailed off, not wanting to say anything.

"If you don't continue," Kukai smirked. "I'll just assume the worst."

"I- I just... I've never had a sleepover, okay?!" I bit into an orange I got out of my lunch bag without peeling it.

"What?!" Yaya asked incredulously. "You've never had a sleepover?!"

"No!" I was getting embarrassed. I never really had any friends to have sleepovers with...

"Aileen, you're sucking the juice out of that whole orange."

"Oh, I guess that would be considered weird..." I started to just peel it and suck the juice out of the slices. Yaya face-palmed.

Nadeshiko was looking at me weirdly. Her expression was soft and kind and thoughtful. "What?" I asked.

"Do you want to sleep over at my house this weekend?" She asked with a smile.

"Oooh, Nadeshiko is so mean!" Yaya pouted. "I was going to ask first."

"Hell, I would've invited her to join Tadase and I," Kukai smirked.

"Get out of here," I said while throwing an orange slice at him, which he caught in his mouth and started to chew. I turned to Nadeshiko with an expression that might've been too hopeful. "Are you serious?"

She nodded, looking genuinely pleased. "Yes, it would be a pleasure to have you."

Tadase was giving her a weird look and she pressed her forefinger to her mouth as if to say, "Shhh."

"Well...," I said, shifting uncomfortably. Everyone's eyes were on me. I wanted to go, but I could lose control with no blood around. But if I said no, I'd look like a bitch. And... I really wanted a friend.

There, I said it. I was sick of being alone and hollow, and I wanted to have someone I could actually confide in about things.

"Sure," I smiled.

"Great!" She said while clapping her hands together. "I'll make sure to ask my mother. Let's pray she'll say yes, what with the recital coming up."

"Recital?" I asked. Did she do ballet too?

"Yes. My parents run a traditional Japanese dancing school," she said with a smile. Now that I thought about it, she did look kind of Asian...

"Traditional Japanese...?" I trailed off, thinking of Kabuki theatre.

"With kimonos and soft music and flowers, no creepy masks," Yaya pointed out.

"Oh." Well, was my face red. "If I'm going to be a bother-"

"No, no," Nadeshiko cut in with a smile. "It's really not a problem at all."

That's how I came to have my first sleepover. I was happy, I think, but something else was riding on my mind. Something that had been in my poetry a lot lately...

Felicia did a spit-take. "You want to _what_?!"

Defiantly, I crossed my arms. "Is it rare for me to ask if I can go to a friend's house?"

"Yes!"

I waved my hand dismissively. "Okay, that was a stupid question." I lowered my hand and eyes. "But I really want to go. Is that so wrong?"

Her expression turned from shock to concern. "Are you sure it's a good idea?"

I repeated that I wanted to go.

"Well, if you really want to," she sighed. "But now you have to be extra careful and alert. Your identity can not be exposed, not if this world is supposed to be at peace."

Something tugged in my chest. "Not even one person? If they swear not to tell?"

She looked at me weirdly. "Aileen, it's your family that made up the rules. You can change them if you believe that humans would be able to handle the truth. But I don't think they will." She sipped her mug filled with what smelt like cocoa. "It's up to you who you can trust with the secret of our hidden world. But you must be careful who you choose."

Humans couldn't handle the truth about us demons in the olden days. We were hunted and burned for just existing. All of us. And I didn't want that to happen again, as the Vampire Overlord, or governor, if you will. So I keep the rules of not revealing our identity sacred. I didn't believe in any war; this is why I didn't participate in the inter Hades war. A war between demons that had been raging for centuries.

But I was getting off topic. I had one more thing to ask Felicia before I hung up the towel. "Felicia," I murmured warily as I sat in the upholstered chair in front of her.

She raised her eyebrows. "What?"

"I, um, have a question."

The response I got was an eye roll. "Obviously. Spit it out, will you?"

"Um, okay." I was going to use the 'I have this friend...' approach, not like it would fool her. "That person who's house I'm going to tonight? Well, she confides in me about things, and there was something I didn't understand."

She waited.

I sighed. "What does it mean when your heart goes all fluttery around a person, and it won't stop beating? When you always want to be around them, no matter how much of a douche they were?" It was pretty obvious who I was talking about. "You feel all warm and fuzzy when they're near, and it's like everything is brighter and better?"

Apparently, she bought the 'friend' approach. She nonchalantly sipped her cocoa. "Sounds like your friend is in love."

My heart stopped.

Felicia sighed. "When you love someone, it's like you can look at them and forget everything else, even your inner darkness. Even your name. You always long to be with them, and when you look in their eyes..." She trailed off with a far away look.

I swear to god that if the next thing she said was-

"When you look in their eyes, it's almost like you feel at home. Like you know you belong there."

I was shaking everywhere. That was impossible. I hardly knew the guy. He was a human, I was a Vampire. It couldn't be. It was something else. It had to be...

My panic was cut off by the sound of a knock on the door. For a distraction, I got out of my chair and answered it. Immediately regretted doing do.

"You have a message from the council," said the man in the long, black cloak that covered his face. "Another assignment."

I nodded at him, distracted as can be. "Thanks, Jules."

He just disappeared into black smoke as I clutched the ivory envelope to my chest. As soon as he was gone, I was inside and running up to my room.

Screw that; I Shadow Swarmed to my room. My vision became that of a thousand eyes and red smoke, my body felt broken into a million pieces that were working as hard as they could. Then I was in my room and in one piece again, staring down at the envelope that contained another assignment.

My Guardians were gaping at me. "That was totally awesome," Ran said, obviously awestruck. "You just kind of went, _poof, _then you were just a swarm of bats and red filmy smoke-"

"I know how it looks," I snapped. Ran backed away, hurt, and I sighed. "I'm sorry for snapping. It's just..." I tore the envelope open without mercy and stared at it. "Another job."

"Job for what?" Su asked in a high pitched voice.

Sighing, I threw the letter to the ground. "'Disposing' of a rogue Werewolf."

"Pardon?" Miki asked, flabbergasted.

"As I member of the High Council of Demons," I muttered. "I have responsibilities to keep the community in check, which includes killing off any rogue demons that threaten to expose us and subject us to being hunted."

They all seemed upset (except you know who). "So that's why you always feel guilty."

I nodded solemnly. "No matter how hard I try or wish to be normal and strong, I have to kill so that others can do just that." I looked to my window, my curtains blowing in the breeze. "It's a worthy sacrifice, but sometimes it hurts."

But I smiled nonchalantly. "But I'll do that later. Right now, I have a sleepover to pack for."

That seemed to get them cheery again. They helped me pack, my clothes being so normal and comfortable that I couldn't imagine myself in the cloak again. That black cloak demons dreaded as soon as it showed up at their door. The bearer of bad news. But I was going to put it off for as long as I could; I wanted a few more days of normalcy.

But something deep inside of me felt heart wrenching. Like something was going to happen soon, and a lot would be riding on it.

"And... make a left there. You'll know it when you see it." I could almost see Nadeshiko smiling.

This car rode like a friggin' dream. It was so smooth and speedy on the road that I hardly had to press down on the gas. Again, good for Hit and Runs. Excellent.

"Okay," I said while turning left on Queen Street. "I'll see you in a few." I clicked of my Bluetooth and wondered what she meant by 'you'll know it when you see it'.

And then I knew.

A little down the way was a huge, Japanese style mansion, complete with rounded red shingles and a gate. I could hear the running water of mini streams from here, and footsteps on a porch. Shit, she was loaded...

Debating where I should park, I just pulled up on the street in front of it and planned on asking. But as soon as I got out of the car, I wanted to cower and run back in. This place was so huge, it was almost like a castle.

Tentatively, I rang the doorbell on the side of the wall. There was a click, and the gates creaked open. I swiveled to check if anyone was opening them, and saw what could've been an Onibaba.

My Guardian Characters and I screamed for dear life.

"Oh, my, I apologize," said the old woman, taking off the demon mask. "I thought that it was more solicitors. Did I scare you?"

"I wasn't scared," I panted. I dusted off my black leather jacket. "I was simply startled."

"So you must be Master Nagi- Nadeshiko's friend," she smiled. I wondered why she had messed up on her own master's name. "We've been expecting you."

"Um, thanks, I guess," I mumbled shyly, slightly intimidated. Wow, she had servants. I was my own servant. "Er, where can I park my car?" I asked while jerking my thumb towards it, in case she was wondering what car I meant.

She looked at it and her eyes widened. "Oh, my, that looks expensive."

Urg, here came the speech. "Yes. I am Aileen Howard, the eldest daughter of Howard Industries."

"Oh," she gasped, genuinely surprised. "I'm sorry; I didn't even recognize you."

"It's cool..."

"You can just park around back. There's a driveway that you can just pull into."

"Thanks," I nodded and smiled. As I walked back to the car, I could feel her eyes on me. Like she was worried, or suspicious.

Yeah, there was a back driveway. A huge one that was framed bu exotic looking plants and trees. One that Nadeshiko waited at the end of, waving.

When I was in park, I got out and she practically skipped to me. "Yeah, the car is awesome!" She squealed.

"Heh heh, thanks," I said, nervous for whatever reason. But I guess I had a reason to. This was my first sleepover ever, and I was already eighteen. I'm pitiful.

"So, anyway," she said, twirling towards the house with flourish, making her long skirt billow around her. "Welcome to my home."

I was gaping, and I knew it. "This is amazing. I've never seen anything like it."

She smiled. "Thank you."

"So, there wasn't any trouble, right? With me coming here?"

Her ecstatic expression faltered, but she brought it right back up, probably thinking that I wouldn't notice. I noticed. "No, none. Don't worry. My mother is also very excited to meet you."

"Oho," I mumbled, squirming even more.

"Don't be nervous; she doesn't bite." Haha, but someone here does...

Nadeshiko guided me in the sliding door, and the inside was so extravagant and traditional Japanese that I was lost. The floor was a dark wood, and the halls were basically all screen when it came to walls. Carefully arranged flowers dotted down the hall, making it seem less gloomy. But hardly any light was let in, which was good for me, bad for the setting. There was designs of cranes and creeks smoothed into the screen walls, and it made me wiggle like a worm.

"Do you like it?" She asked like my opinion really mattered.

"Yes, it's beautiful," I choked.

The smiled returned in honesty. She led me down the long hall until we came to a sliding door that led to a room with a woman sitting in it. I know because I could see her shadow from the screen. Nadeshiko motioned to be quiet, then slid open the door and guided me in.

The woman looked exactly like Nadeshiko- or I guess Nadeshiko looked exactly like her. She was tall and elegant even though she was sitting down, and she sat with a straight back. Her hair was done up in a bun, some loose curls falling out and caressing her cheeks. She wore a purple kimono with darker purple flowers, and gave off an aura of distance.

She turned to us and smiled, but the facade came off with a good look at me.

"Oh, my," she gasped. "I never expected Nadeshiko's friend to look so mature and beautiful." She seemed honestly surprised.

I did my best to bow respectfully. "Thank you." It made Nadeshiko giggle.

"No need for the formalities," her mother smiled. "I don't bite." Again with that joke...

The old housekeeper from earlier came in carrying a tray of what smelt like green tea in those Japanese bowl cup things. The poured it gracefully out of the kettle with slightly chipped paint (no wonder; it also looked ancient). Nadeshiko and I sat down on our knees across from her mother, on these comfortable little pillows.

"I'm sorry that Nadeshiko's father couldn't be here," her mother sighed coldly. "He had a sudden recital, and he's out of state."

MIA. Nice. "It's no trouble at all," I smiled, seeming to startle her for whatever reason. "It's not much, but my mother told me to give this to you..." I trailed off, grabbing what appeared to be a towel set out of my bag that Felicia stuffed in there.

Nadeshiko's mother gaped.

"If you don't want it then-"

"It can't be!" Her mother yelled. She snatched the set from my hands, leaving me speechless. "The maid, come look! It's the top of the line _Mr. Towelly _ set that has been the rave for months now and is almost impossible to get." As the housekeeper came over and gawked, her mother got this mischievous glint in her eye. "It's going to be hard to top this..."

"You two play while we play with these." They quickly scurried out of the room, but Nadeshiko's mother darted back in and pointed a threatening finger at her daughter. "Not too much playing."

"Mom," Nadeshiko hissed. What were they talking about?

Her mother put a killer smile on her face and was gone again. I wondered what she meant when she said _not too much playing_...

"So," Nadeshiko said while moving in front of me. "What would you like to do?"

I shrugged, playing stubborn when I was actually as antsy as hell. "Up to you."

"Well, we could go for a walk, dance, watch TV... sorry, there's not much to do." She looked depressed.

I waved my hand dismissively. "It doesn't matter. As long as we're spending time together as friends, who cares if there's nothing to do? We could just talk." I didn't like talking. But I felt like it was polite to try and make her feel better.

She smiled, her cheeks holding a slight scarlet flush (?). "Okay, let's talk." She laid down on the floor so her hair scattered everywhere like indigo snakes. I mimicked her so that I was down by her feet and she was mine. I didn't like it; I felt so invasive and rude just doing whatever I wanted at someone else's house.

Nadeshiko must have sensed my dilemma, because she chuckled. "No one cares, Aileen. Please, make yourself at home."

"Ok...ay," I mumbled. I titled my head up to look at her. "How's the dancing going?"

Her mood seemed to dampen a little. "It's fine." Not good, not great, but _fine._ "How's the crush?"

I bolted up and glared at her. For the first time, I noticed that she had zero chest. Or boobs. "For the thousandth time, I don't like Tadase that way!" She seemed to ignore me. "Anyway, I'm supposedly falling for-" I clamped my stupid mouth shut before I could say another word.

"Oooh, who?" She asked, bolting up and looking at me excitedly. "I didn't know there was other options. Well, there's Kukai, but he's... Kukai. I don't think he has any interest in girls."

"No one," I said immediately. From the look on her face, she didn't buy it. "I don't like anyone. I don't understand why you're so persistent-"

"Because we're friends," she cut in, looking at me seriously. "And I want to help you in any way I can."

My heart stammered. "Really?"

"Really."

"Thanks, I guess," I mumbled, flustered.

She laid back down, successfully distracted. "I'm not going to let it go," she said. Okay, maybe not. "I heard and read on your profile-"

"Stalker."

That made her crack a smile and laugh. "That you're a transfer student. Where did you go before this?"

For me, this was an even more uncomfortable topic than my love life. "Um, I'm not from around here at all."

She looked at me patiently.

"Actually, I came from another continent."

Interested, she sat up again. "Where? This is getting interesting."

"Um, Europe."

"I figured," she nodded to herself, like confirming an earlier suspicion.

"Why would you figure that?"

"You didn't seem like you were from here in the first place. If anything, you seemed like you came from royalty."

I winced, thinking that yeah, I really did. Just not in the way she was probably thinking.

"Where in Europe?"

"Romania."

"Again, I figured."

Technically, it wasn't a lie. I lived in Romania for a long period of time, and moved here with Felicia and them once the Wolfram incident got started. I mean, I couldn't tell her, a human, where I really came from.

She would think I'm crazy if I told her I came from a different realm, the Moon Realm, a haven for demons. And if I told her I destroyed that realm when my anger got out of control, she'd have the psychiatrist on the phone before I would get to finish.

"Did you live here for your entire life?" I asked, no longer wanting to discuss my personal situation.

"No, I came from Japan," she smiled. "My mother was travelling there, and met my father. They tell me it was love at first sight."

Uncomfortable topic for me. "How did your parents meet?" She asked.

I didn't feel like lying to her, so I told her how my real parents told me they met. It's not like she'd ever know the difference.

I described how my father had been the popular person in school, that guy that everyone looked up to. My mom was that nerd with the perfect grades and glasses, even though she was the most beautiful thing my father had ever seen. They went through a lot of conflict between their families, but chose to be together anyway. They had my older brother, me, then my sisters (I really only had one sister, and she was in the ground, dead at two). And that was how my parents met, even though I left out a lot of key parts...

"Hey, can I use your bathroom?" I asked, not really having to go, but I wanted a change of setting and to be alone after what I had confessed.

"Ah, you go down the hall, and it's the fourth door to your left." Psh. Fourth door...

As soon as I stood, her face flushed for some reason. I realized that my skirt was hiked up a little higher than it should be, and I yanked it down, embarrassed. "Sorry."

"No, no, it's fine...," she grumbled while avoiding my eyes. How strange.

Being careful not to make the floorboards creak and make the quiet house eerily loud, I left the room. As soon as I shut the sliding door behind me, I heard hushed voices coming from three doors down to the right. Out of pure curiosity, I slunk beside the slight crack in the opened door that allowed warm light to spill in the hall. It was Nadeshiko's mom and The maid, and they seemed to be talking about me.

"When I came home, Nadeshiko's father and I travelled around here for a bit," her mother whispered. I could only hear them with my sensitive ears. "And we... heard some legends."

The maid visibly tensed. "About what?"

Nadeshiko's mom gulped. "Demons. We were wandering around reserves, and they kept telling us legends of a demon from long ago, possibly the most powerful one besides the Devil himself." She leaned towards The maid even more, like she knew I was listening. "And Nadeshiko's new friend, Aileen, matches the portraits and descriptions of that demon perfectly."

"You don't really believe in stuff like that," The maid objected almost immediately, but she didn't sound so sure about that.

"Maybe so, but Aileen has the same features, down to the facial structure. The only difference is the hair and eye colour."

"Even if it is true," The maid snapped quietly. "You have no proof. Do you even know that demon's name?"

"Demons full names are never supposed to be spoken aloud," she hissed. "But her nickname was Xion."

They were talking about Xionattraynzia, the first Vampire. And my ancestor from hundreds of years ago. And they were suspecting something about me. Stupid Japanese and their beliefs...

I turned and headed for the bathroom before I could hear anything else. Surely they wouldn't tell Nadeshiko anything about what they thought. If they did, I would lose her before we were even true friends. I didn't want that. I wanted someone to talk to about my problems, all of them. But could I really trust Nadeshiko with that? She seemed nice and polite and honest and everything good, but would she be able to keep a secret for someone she just met?

_Well, we'll find out tonight, _I told myself and nodded. We'd spend time together, like normal human friends, and I would see if I could trust her with this secret. As I stepped into the bathroom and looked at my stunning reflection in the mirror, I wondered if it was because I liked Nadeshiko that I wanted to tell her. Or maybe it was just that I didn't want to be alone with this secret anymore. I felt so unwelcome in this world, caught in the humans' shadow.

Something inside of me stirred, like I would be able to tell _someone _soon. But I didn't know who. I had limited options, and who knows. Maybe someone would find out by accident.

Accident... the element of spirit resonated with that word, confirming that someone would find out by accident. But I didn't think I was ready to know who just yet. Maybe I'll just let whatever's meant to happen, happen.

After a few deep, comforting breaths, I walked down the hall to Nadeshiko again. I flattened my hair that started to look a bit wild with the burning emotions inside. Stupid hair. It responded to how I felt by moving on its own sometimes, like it had a brain. It reminded me of Lena and her Caster breeze in _Beautiful Creatures_. Damn.

Nadeshiko was waiting patiently, like the proper lady she was. When I entered, she smiled like it had made her day, perfectly composed. Whatever happened with her earlier was gone.

"What would you like to do now?" She asked.

I glanced out the circular window, seeing the sky being dyed a soft pink, lilac, and crimson. The sun was going to set soon, even though it was only about six, considering I got here at five thirty. I had no clue what to do.

"Um, maybe you can show me a dance?" I asked, wanting to see it kind of badly. It's not like I was engrossed in the idea of Japanese dance; I was simply curious, like a cat toying with a dead mouse.

"No problem." She stood and prepared to leave, expecting me to follow by the way she waited in the doorway. I hopped up to follow, startling my Guardians while they were just totally chilling.

Again, I was led down the complex hall to a room with a screen similar to the first. She opened it softly, and it looked like a dance studio. The mirrors on the walls, the iPod dock in the corner, a little costume room...

"Can you please wait while I get my mother?" Nadeshiko asked with a smile.

"Oh, yeah, sure." I sat down with my legs stretched in front of me, kicking them back and forth for a distraction.

Nadeshiko gave me one last smile, then left me alone in the room. The floor was light and wooden, the ceiling lamps reflecting off of it. The walls were a nice earthy green with darker green vine patterns. I stood and ran my hands over them, thinking of how they were so artistic and perfect.

I had a sudden flashback of the trees and vines that were real and artistic... artistically burned, that is. The gray ash drooping off of them like dying birds, the complete black that they had become, the way they gave me goose bumps as I had run my little trembling hands over them...

I tore my hand away and came back to reality. That was a long time ago, and I was at a friend's to have fun. I couldn't be focusing on that.

Something caught my eye beside me. It was my reflection. That girl with the long red hair and golden eyes. The one who looked so sad and broken. I slapped myself in the face to get rid of the expression. I wouldn't let Nadeshiko see me like this.

Speaking of, her, her mother, and the maid came into the room and I turned from the mirror completely. Leaving behind that girl for just a bit longer.

"Come, My Lady," The maid smiled as she pulled Nadeshiko into the dressing room. That left me and her mother... aw, crap.

"So, Nadeshiko tells me that you are her best friend," she said with an accusing gleam in her eye.

I winced visibly. I couldn't help that she was suspicious... "Yeah, we're pretty close." I tried to smile and ease her tension. "In fact, she's my first real friend in a while."

"Why?" Her mother demanded, her eyes narrowing into slits.

"I'm, um, not very social...?"

"Mom, stop asking invasive questions!" Nadeshiko yelled from the changing room. Her mother waved impatiently.

"Would you mind telling me about your parents?" She asked, raising her eyebrows in challenge.

I held my head high. "They're good people." She seemed really ticked off at my answer, but Nadeshiko came out and spared me from further investigation.

She looked gorgeous, dressed in a pink kimono with purple flowers stitched on so intricately. Around her waist was one of those... well, I don't know what they're called, but it looked like a big, purple belt.

"You look so pretty," I said politely.

She smiled. "Thank you."

"Are you ready to begin?" Her mother had become stern and precise, probably inspecting her daughter's every move in the performance. Nadeshiko nodded, and her mom put an iPod on the dock and clicked play.

Traditional Japanese music flowed from the speakers, the sound of distant drums and some kind of string instrument flowing from the speakers. Nadeshiko began to move, slowly and gracefully, sliding her foot forward gently and extending a fan I just noticed (where was she keeping that...?).

She looked very professional, more dazzling than Yaya at her ballet recital. This seemed so sophisticated and well rehearsed that I was blown away. Then filled with emotions. It's like the song and dance were telling a story of long ago, and Nadeshiko's expression was peaceful and neutral.

"Do you mind...," I whispered to her mother, who looked at me like she forgot I was there. "If I take some pictures?"

She seemed kind of surprised, then nodded slightly. I looted through my messenger bag that had my stuff in it until I found my black camera case with red cherries on it (yeah, cherries). I took out the insanely thin red camera and took photos of Nadeshiko's best moments.

Her spinning, her hair twirling around her like a tornado and her eyes closed gently. Reaching out the fan to the side with beads of perspiration on her face, looking exhilarated. Bowing at the end.

"That was amazing," I gasped as I pulled the camera away from my eye. I clapped, if that helped my case. She bowed again, a huge grin on her face.

"It's not perfect," her mother sighed. I was getting ready to clock her in the jaw, but she was smiling fondly at her daughter. "But you're progressing well." She looked to me, with a slight danger in her eyes. "Would you like to try?"

"Oh," I stuttered. "Um, I don't want to impose..."

"You wouldn't be!" Nadeshiko clapped. She seemed actually excited. "It'll be fun, I promise."

"Please do," The maid smiled. "I'd like to see it."

"Um, really, I don't-"

"Come on!" The maid grabbed my wrist and pulled me up, almost dropping me as she flinched from the heat. But she held on and dragged me into the dressing room.

Why doesn't anyone ever listen to me?!

Very rudely, I was stripped by an old woman. Ugh. She stopped and kind of stared at the size of my boobs for a high schooler, but continued on her merry way while finding an outfit that would suit me.

To be honest, I felt totally uncomfortable right now. I had just got to my um, acquaintance's house and I had been stripped to my undergarments by an old maid. Huh. I lead a strange life.

The dressing room was filled to the brim with kimonos, male and female, with some strange hats and masks. There was a wall stocked up with folding fans. The maid emerged from the maze with a kimono thrown carefully over her arm and she held it up for me to see.

It's like everyone knew about my style. Was there some website that posted all my personal information or something? Honestly, people knowing what I like, what my phone number is, where I live... Now that I think of it, that might be the case. Shit...

It looked like it would suit me perfectly, though it looked a bit long (curse you, Mom, for my lack of height...). It was pitch black at the bottom, but got lighter as it got closer to the shoulders to a sky gray. There was red butterflies spotted on it like splotches of blood. The sleeves looked very long, but that was probably the style. The belt thing was a deep red and the strings flowed to the bottom.

"Um, 'scuse me," I said politely. The maid looked at me questioningly. I pointed to the belt thing. "What's that called?"

She laughed. "An _obi_." Asked and answered.

Putting it on did require some help, which was why she probably came in here in the first place. But in the end, I was whirled around to look in a mirror, and it came out not half bad. In fact, it was great. It didn't show off any curves, which made me kind of glad, and my hair seemed to make it look like I was some kind of bloody goddess.

"One more thing." The maid handed me a black folding fan with red sakura blossoms and petals swirling on it. I flipped it open and closed it, enjoying myself a bit.

I stepped into the room, where Nadeshiko and her mother smiled at me. Maybe they were talking about me. Hopefully, Nadeshiko would have mentioned something about not being so judgmental...

"You look great," Nadeshiko giggled.

"Let's see how you dance," her mother smirked.

Well, my style was more contemporary, but let's see how this goes.

Nadeshiko began to slide her foot gently forward, and I tried to mimick the way she did it so gracefully. She put most of the pressure on her toes, which wasn't alot, and I tried to do the same as I nudged my fan forward as well.

That's basically how most of the dance went, me just following Nadeshiko's movements. But I eventually started to get the hang of it, and I was almost on my own. I could hear Nadeshiko's mother and The maid saying something about scouting.

Then a burning sensation ignited in my ankle. I slipped sideways, taking Nadeshiko with me and rolling around on the floor. The kimonos were hard to move in, so we were basically struggling all over the floor like worms, inching to and fro. Nadeshiko's mother and The maid sighed and said to forget about the scouting. Oh well. Not that I was even the slightest bit excited about it anyway.

Nadeshiko and I ended up playing crazy eights in her room, which was quite expansive. She didn't have a bed, but I could see some roll up ones in the corner of the room. There was sliding doors leading right outside to a stone garden and the wraparound porch, but I still wondered if she ever worried about creepers just breaking in and stealing her away...

I was swaying to Total Eclipse Of The Heart with my headphones in my iPod, the volume low enough that I could still hear her talk.

She laid down a six of diamonds, and I looked at my hand and narrowed my eyes. A six of spades. She either had the queen of spades because I didn't, or it was still in the deck. Better not to chance it. I folded down a two of diamonds, and she glared at me, making me giggle.

Her mother (who's name I learned was Yukari) slid into the room while sitting on her knees. "It's time for a bath." I dropped my hand.

What the hell? Bathing at someone's house? Is that something that is to be done? Or are they just following some kind of Japanese tradition? I was lost. But better not to argue. I still looked to Nadeshiko to confirm.

She smiled and nodded. "You go first."

I stood and followed Yukari down the maze of hallways, wondering where my Guardians went off to. She opened a sliding door to reveal just a room with white walls and floors and bathing supplies, and I could see an outdoor bath with a fence around it outside. It steamed like a hot spring, and I looked at it in astonishment. Did these people live a life of luxury or what?

"You may undress in here," Yukari explained. "I'll be sure that no one interrupts you. Please," she finalized, shuffling out of the room with a bow that I returned.

I glanced around, nervous and exhilarated at the same time. What would outdoor bathing be like? Stupid Aileen, probably like a hot tub, just outside. Urgh, I'm an idiot.

I discarded my lacy over shirt and undershirt, then my plain red bra with a little black bow in the middle. Next off was the skirt and matching underwear. I didn't know where to put them, so I just tossed them on the floor near the door in case I had to run, for whatever reason. But there was a wall surrounding the entire plot, then another surrounding the bath. What did I have to worry about?

I grabbed a towel from where it awaited on a rack then wrapped it around myself, and stepped outside. I couldn't tell if it was cold or not, of course, but the air tasted cHotoriy. I stripped of the towel and dipped a careful foot in the water. It was like a hottub! And it felt awesome! In went the rest of me!

-Ran-

"And this is another hall in which this family had walked down for generations," Temari continued, gesturing to another dark hallway like a tour guide.

"Generations?" Scarlet asked. "I thought that Nadeshiko's father came from Japan and her mother was from here..."

Temari nodded. "But Lady Yukari is also from the Japanese. She's lived here with her Japanese parents, grandparents, and so on. This family first came to the country long ago, and Nadeshiko's father just moved here instead of Yukari moving to Japan."

"Ohhhh."

"What about your master?" Temari looked at us curiously.

"Um, well...," we all said at once, thinking about how yes, she did move here from Romania, but she wasn't really from here...

"Her family lived in her house for generations as well," Scarlet lied.

We all knew by looking in Aileen's heart that her mother, Flynn, had been from a different realm because she was the heir to be Vampire Overlord. Her father, Shane, was here, on Earth, because his family was one of the first to come here ages ago. But in a way, Scarlet wasn't lying because Aileen's mother's family had lived in the same mansion for generations... until Aileen made it go _boom_.

"What was her past like?" Okay, we were all aware that we had to be careful of what we said in case she repeated everything to Nadeshiko later.

"She was one pampered kid," Su cheered, twirling in a circle. She looked like a speck of dust in this huge hall.

"Yeah, spoiled rotten," Miki said quickly.

"And kind of dumb," I added while looking into the distance. Which was a gigantic flower pot...

"Ah, I see," Temari smiled. "Another child with a life of luxury. You know, Nadeshiko often was spoiled rotten-"

She was caught off by a squeaking sound which we all turned to look at. A gray mouse sniffed in our direction then quickly skittered away.

"Oh, my," I said. "Mice look so big from our size-"

"You think you can infiltrate this household?" Temari growled.

"Huh?"

She had a demonic look on her face when she looked up, and her mouth was turned up in a gutteral smile. "Don't think for one second that I will look past the sin of your filthy paws scratching and scathing these perfect halls! YOU'RE DEAD!"

"Huuuuuuh?!"

"After him!" Temari zoomed away so fast that we only saw a flash of purple.

"Damn," Miki grunted.

"My, she is very strong willed," Su said admiringly.

"That or crazy."

"Hurry up and get your little asses over here!" We heard her scream back at us. We flinched, then charged down the hall in the direction her voice came from.

-Aileen-

I sank further into the hot bath, sighing contentedly. This was so nice. It was like being all comfortable and warm in bed, but I was wet. I liked the water, so that made it all better. My hair flowed out from my body and it looked like the water had been turned bloody. I snuggled my head further into my shoulder, becoming more comfortable.

Totally unaware of how long I had been in here, I glanced up at the moon. It wasn't anywhere near the middle of the sky, so I couldn't have been in here for that long.

Someone knocked at the door that led out to the bath. "It's cool," I confirmed.

Nadeshiko opened it cautiously and stepped out. "I just wanted to let you know that you should probably prepare to get out-" As soon as she actually saw me, her breath caught and she looked away, her face completely red.

What?

"Is everything okay?" I asked, suspicion tainting my tone.

"Yeah, it's fine." I shrugged and started to get up, but at the sound of water running off of me, she shook her hand and head furiously. "No, no, don't get up!" I froze. "It's um, not- I'll leave you to it, okay?" She quickly escaped.

What was with that reaction? She acted as if she had never seen a naked girl before, when she showers as one. How weird. If I could feel cold as I got up and grabbed my towel, I would have thanks to the smell of the crisp and cool spring night air. I wrapped the fluffy towel around me, thankful it reached my knees and fit me all around.

I padded into the room, trying not to get water droplets anywhere. I pictured the molecules in my body warming up, increase heart rate, think about something that makes your heart race...

Ikuto.

The water droplets turned to steam thanks to the element of fire. I shivered, but not because I felt cold. I was ready to put my pajamas on, then I realized that I had left my bag in Nadeshiko's room. I sighed.

Looking left and right to make sure no one saw me, I stepped out of the room, letting a cloud of steam enter the air. I tried to focus on which way I had to go to get to her room. Left. Then up. First room on the right. Damn, this house was like a maze.

I tiptoed along the hall, making the first left and still not seeing anyone. The house felt very creepy when it was dark and I was all alone. Something made my skin crawl, then I heard creaking upstairs. Probably the attic.

My heart rate doubled, but not for no good reason. I had some childhood trauma, and I was fully aware of the supernatural world. And, believe me, a lot of things were not beautiful on the outside.

_Someone's just in the attic, _I told myself. But why would they go in the attic when company was over? The creaking continued, then I just couldn't take it anymore. I took off running for Nadeshiko's room then practically broke the door when bursting in.

"Woah," she said, whirling to face the commotion. Then she blushed and looked away. "What are you doing?!"

"Oh," I muttered, looking down at myself and realizing that I was still in a towel wrap. "Sorry. I just forgot my bag in here." She kept her eyes off of me the entire time I was went to get it. "You can change in here," she said while leaving. "I'll take the bathroom."

"No, I'll leave," I said, trying to be polite.

"It's fine." She was gone before I could object any further. Oh, well.

This sleepover was fun, but things were starting to get weird. Why would she blush and look away when I was simply undressed? I could understand if she were a guy, but she's a girl.

That only left one explanation.

_No, _I thought as I slipped on my pajama shorts. _That's impossible. She would've told me. _I'd like to believe that she would've told me if she was, but I hardly knew her. So what if she was? What would I do? Obviously tell her that I wasn't interested...

I heard a soft knock on the door. "Are you done?"

"You change fast," I sighed. "Yeah." Nadeshiko slipped into the room in long purple silk pajamas. "By the way, have you seen my Guardian Characters? I haven't noticed them for a while, and that's saying something."

"No." Her expression became concerned. "I haven't seen Temari either. I hope-" She cut off suddenly, then turned to smile at me. "Why don't we set up the beds and just hang out?"

"_Why didn't you finish?_"

She never told me why, but to distract me she brought out the futons for us to set up. After we finished, we lied down and starting talking about many things. Like how we were in our previous grade (I avoided saying as much as possible), what kind of stuff we liked, and by the end, I felt much more comfortable around Nadeshiko. She was kind, sensitive, and altogether very lady-like. But then she told me one story…

"Despite my mother moving from Japan, a branch of my family has owned this house for years," she began. "But before it was here, they said and _onibaba_ lived here."

I tensed up, knowing that _onibaba _meant "old woman ogre". A demon.

"She lured travellers here, pretending to be a kind old lady, but while they slept… she devoured them greedily." By now I was shaking from the story, because I knew these things were _real_. "After this house was built, they say she haunts it, looking for new visitors to devour."

Now I was extremely creeped out, mostly because something like that actually happened to me when I was younger and had escaped _Fiara Sclavie. _Oh, shit.

"Oh, my, look how late it is," she gasped, looking at the wall clock. "You must be tired."

"You think I can sleep?!" I grumbled from under my covers. Dear God, I would've been eaten.

She giggled. "Don't be silly, it's just a story."

The thing is, those things were real, so it probably wasn't.

"Besides, I'll be right beside you," she continued, patting my hand comfortably.

The sentiment was touching, and I began thinking of Nadeshiko as my first best friend. I noticed that my Guardian Characters were still missing, and I began to worry. What the hell were they doing?

…And why did the lights just flicker out?!

I hid under the covers, hating myself for being so ridiculous. I have trauma from stuff like this, hence why I'm frightened. But I'm a Vampire, for chrissake, who resides in darkness. This is terrible!

-Ran-

"Su, for God's sake, you're probably scaring people," I scolded. "Stop playing with the breaker."

Tears popped up in her eyes. "I would if Temari stopped being so mean!"

"I'm not being mean!" Temari screamed right in her face. "I'm trying to catch a damned mouse! Now help me, you pathetic excuse for a Guardian Character!"

"SHUT UP!"

All of us turned in pure shock, to Scarlet, who was _fuming._

"I cannot believe someone like you would dare talk down to Aileen's Guardian Character! You are oblivious to the difficulty it took for us to even be born, you ignorant little-"

"And why are you here?" Temari demanded, her eyes narrowed into violet slits.

"Why you little-" Scarlet began charging at her, and (horrifyingly) had her fangs beared.

Miki, Su, and I used all of our strength to hold her back. Who knew that _Scarlet, _of all people, would have sensitivity issues?! This is a huge Character Change!

"Scarlet, calm down!" We all coaxed, Temari throwing daggers.

Then we were all distracted by the mouse, smirking at us.

"That sick son of a-!" Temari cut herself off, pursuing it, with Scarlet after her, with us after Scarlet, causing quite the ruckus and probably scaring Aileen shitless.

-Aileen-

_ There are noises coming from the attic there are noises coming from the attic there are noises coming from the attic!_

That kept repeating in my head like a mantra, and I was shaking under the covers. Oh, how I wish I had my Charas here! I hated being a wimp, but come on, my family was killed in front of me and I was forced into slavery! I haven't lived a good life!

All I could do was pretend to be asleep. Wait, actually sleeping didn't work for them in Paranormal Activity! Oh my god, I was feeling so _paranoid-_

The paranoia grew when a voice whispered from outside the door, "Nadeshiko."

I heard Nadeshiko get up from beside me, apologize to the (supposedly) sleeping me, then creep out the door.

Holy fuck-

My thoughts were interrupted as all of the Guardians Characters crashed through the ceiling, hitting me square in the gut, and just getting everything confused in a flurry of tiny limbs.

"What the hell were you guys doing?! …And why is there a KO'd mouse with you?!"

"Scarlet got a hold of it," Ran panted. "Just a warning." She tried reaching up to me, but it looked like she was mentally _exhausted. _"She has anger management issues." Then she collapsed, twitching.

"Oh, my," Temari gasped, glancing around. "Mister mouse, are you all right?! Oh, please forgive us!"

"I am _so _not done with you, Temari!" Scarlet growled while standing.

"Miki," Su gasped.

"Yes?" Miki choked.

"In the dark of the night…"

"Rasputin will find her…"

Miki and Su continued to sing In The Dark Of The Night dazedly, while I just sat there, being utterly confused.

In the end, I ended up getting dressed, pulling Scarlet away from punching the mouse in the face (does she ever have anger management issues), taking my Charas, and creeping out the door to find out what Nadeshiko was up to.

A light was on down the hall, eerily illuminating the otherwise dark house. This felt like a _horror_ movie, and I was that poor, defenseless Vampire (those words don't work together) who wandered in on her friend and her family being possessed or something!

"Aileen," Scarlet scolded, sitting on my shoulder with some of my hair wrapped around her like a blanket. "This is pathetic."

"Shh!" I hissed, not wanting anyone (or anything) to notice us. She rolled her crimson eyes, but otherwise remained silent.

Taking deep, silent breaths, I peeked through the doorway, preparing for the worst.

But what I saw made me smile.

Nadeshiko was working so hard, practicing dancing because she couldn't earlier with me around. Her mother was scolding her about tiny details, which must be something with Japanese traditional dance. But seeing Nadeshiko try so hard, and keep getting up again after she fell, made me proud to be considered her friend.

"See? You were being ridiculous," Scarlet scoffed, finally regaining her bitchy composure.

"I guess," I sighed quietly.

Ran, Miki, and Su had recovered, and were watching Nadeshiko with awe shining in their eyes. Experiencing stuff like this, ignoring my demonic nature, made me look forward to what tomorrow would bring. I had never felt that way before.

I was so happy that my Guardian Characters were born, even after all I had been through. I loved them to bits.

I allowed myself to admit, since these were pieces of myself. I would take care of them, trust them with everything. Because they had given me hope. And so many opportunities.

Settling against the wall, I smiled to myself. Then I had to admit what was going on through my mind the entire time I was here.

"You guys," I murmured seriously. They all turned to look at me, question mark looks on their faces.

"I have a theory about Nadeshiko."

"Jesus, you're being paranoid again," Scarlet sighed.

I ignored her. "When I touched her, I felt like she was hiding something. She blushed when my skirt was hiked too high, when I was about to get up out of the bath, seeing me in just a towel. Her parents are surprised that she invited a girl over, and she is _very…_ lady like."

They waited.

"She must be a lesbian."

All I heard was a large _thump! _Come from down the hallway, and I saw that Temari had fallen, and was laughing so hard that she was tearing up.

"What?!" I demanded quietly.

"Aileen Howard," she gasped. "You are one interesting person."

_**And now you know how stupid Aileen really is, thinking Nadeshiko is a lesbian. Granted, she does like girls, but as you know, for a different reason. **_

_**Kukai: "Leave a review to tell us what you think! You'll be awesome if you do!"**_

_**Aileen: "I will never forgive you for calling me… 'that name'…"**_

_**Kukai: "Oh, lighten up."**_


	9. Chapter 9

_**Following the request of what GemYin left in a review, I've decided to do a profile on Aileen instead of our usual banter (which I find quite entertaining)!**_

_**Full Name: Aileen Zariel Vartiter**_

_**Race: Vampire**_

_**Age: 18**_

_**Date Of Birth: March 20**__**th**__**, 1994**_

_**Loves: Anything chocolate; Flowers; Singing; Her friends and family**_

_**Hates: Dishonesty; Defiance; Meddlers; Ikuto and Utau**_

_**Fact: She has a complex about her height and chest**_

_**Special Power: Elemental Manipulation**_

_**Aileen is the daughter of Flynn and Shane Vartiter, who were descended from the first Vampire, Xionattraynzia. After her family was killed, she had to take her father's position as Vampire Overlord on the Demon Council, causing a lot of grief and pain. But she works hard and sacrifices herself for the people she cares about, even if she has to be alone. But she hates being alone, and just wants someone to understand her so she can talk to them and not vent everything into a tattered old notebook. But she has a mystery about her; she looks nothing like anyone from her family, and can manipulate the elements when no one else can, all ten of them at that. It looks like there is a huge rift somewhere in her lineage that made her like this, but saying too much would be a spoiler. When she was very young, she was forced into **_**Fiara Sclavie, **_**which is Romanian for Beast Slavery, where humans made demons work mercilessly for them in return for a limitless supply of human flesh. She doesn't shed too much light on her past, probably because it holds a lot of physical and mental trauma for her. In turn, she doesn't know how to properly trust anyone. But maybe someone can melt that ice in her heart…?**_

Chapter IX: Dancer In The Dark

Hiding in the lush leaves of a towering maple, I peeked out slightly, to make sure they were coming. The moon was full, shining down and illuminating the city in a silver glow, making my hair shine like stardust. I was waiting patiently, like any predator would, when they finally came along.

First was Ikuto, leaping away with an emotionless expression, chasing yet another X Egg. Soon after were the Guardians, on ground and only Character Changed. I snorted. They didn't stand a chance against him if he was Character Transformed. Even I knew that by now.

"You might wanna hurry up," Ran hissed, seriously on edge.

I grinned, showing off my elongated fangs. "I'm waiting for the right moment. Be patient."

"You should know that I happen to be one of the many _impatient_ sides of you," she pointed out. I flicked her forehead, earning a laugh from Miki and Su.

Ikuto gracefully landed on a rooftop, cornering the egg against the chimney. He was closing in on it, and it floundered, wondering how and if it was going to escape.

"Now!"

The wind blew harshly, making both the Guardians and Ikuto duck and cover. When they looked up again, there I was, on the chimney, grinning down at them.

"Good evening," I purred. "Lovely night, isn't it?"

Ikuto narrowed his eyes into slits, the colour of the night sky. "_You."_

I snorted again. "I gave you a name to call me."

"Who are you?" Tadase demanded from below, staring at me. The rest of the Guardians mouths were agape.

"You can call me the Scarlet Dancer!" I laughed, snatching the X Egg from just below me. "And I'll be taking this!"

"Wha- Not so fast!" Tadase yelled, trying to put a Holy Crown shield around me to prevent escape.

But instead, I released my bat wings and flew into the sky, laughing merrily. "Tonight, I have stained your memories scarlet!" And then I was flying off, adoring the feeling of the wind in my hair. The freedom of the sky.

Once landed, I sighed. "What a pain."

"Aileen," Su whimpered. "I don't understand why you're hiding from the Guardians."

I narrowed my ruby eyes. "What would they think if they say me Transformed with Scarlet? They'd figure she was my Guardian Character, a demon one at that, leading them to believe that I'm hiding something. This is the easiest way." I tossed the egg in the air once, and caught it easily again. "This is probably my strongest Transformation right now, no offense, airgo the easiest to snatch the eggs from that perverted cat."

"Negative Heart: Lock On," I whispered to the egg. "Open Heart!"

That warm sparkly light made the black on the egg disappear, leaving it in its pure and white glory. I sighed with relief, yet another egg saved.

I carefully poked it. "Go on, back to your owner. They need you." It almost seemed to nod, and flew off to wherever its owner was.

Smiling to myself, I was so glad that I was helping kids out, despite what I was. I felt like this was a purpose, to save people from giving up on themselves. In a way, this helped them for their entire lives. It's easier for demons to possess those with weak hearts, and I've begun linking that to their Heart's Egg becoming an X Egg. So I was also saving humans from becoming demons like me.

I was so happy.

"Aileen!" The Guardian Characters called from behind me suddenly. I whirled around, hitting Scarlet away as I did (I heard her crash into a tree), and prayed that they didn't see anything.

"Where did you go?!" Kukai demanded, panting. "We lost the egg!"

"I, um, hurt my ankle and had to take a break," I lied.

"Oh, are you alright?" Tadase asked, completely forgetting about the Scarlet Dancer just to worry about me.

My heart did a strange little skip at his concern. "I- I'm fine," I stuttered, avoiding eye contact. I smiled at them. "Just a bit tired. What happened with the egg?"

Nadeshiko sighed. "It was taken by some woman who called herself the 'Scarlet Dancer'."

"Who's that?" I asked, avoiding Nadeshiko's eyes. Since that sleepover, I've been trying not to get too close to her. It's not that I'm… a _homophobe_… it's what happened when she finally came back to sleep in the middle of the night.

I had already been back in the room when she came in, sleeping soundly. She fell fast asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow, along with Temari and my Charas. I had a dream that I sat up, golden eyes turning from orange, to red (_pure _red, even the pupils and whites), and was sniffing around for the closest source of human blood which was… her.

Dangerously so, I got very close to her neck, fangs shooting out of my gums in anticipation. But then I felt something slam into the back of my head, and I snapped out of it, realizing that it wasn't a dream. I was really about to drink her blood. I immediately went to my bag, pulling out the water bottle I had filled with baggie blood and downing it. It slid down my throat coldly, and for a second I thought that her warm, coursing blood would've been much more appetizing.

I made myself sleep outside.

Regardless, she hadn't noticed me avoiding her much, which was a good thing. I didn't want to come off as mean, but I was scared of getting that close again. Scarlet said that she wouldn't save my ass by slamming into my head again, and as a thank you, I let her have the last drops of my blood bottle, which was like a few glasses to her.

"We don't know," Tadase sighed, snapping me back to the present. "She appeared out of nowhere, and it seemed like Ikuto Tsukiyomi knew her." His eyes looked very dangerous as they narrowed. "She might be an ally of Easter."

Now _that_ I hadn't accounted for. They thought I was with Easter! I couldn't help but feel a little pissed, even though they didn't know it was me.

"I wonder what she did with the egg," Yaya said sadly. Everyone hung their heads.

I couldn't help but feel a little guilty for hiding things from them, but it was to protect them in the end. If they found out what I was, they could be killed. I would never let that happen.

"I guess all we can do is hope," I sighed, feigning sadness.

Tadase nodded. "We don't even know who she is. There's no way we can even try to get it back."

"Now's no time to be sad!" Kukai suddenly yelled, making all of us (especially me) cover our ears. "We'll definitely beat her next time! GO, GO, GUARDIANS!"

"YEAH!" Yaya yelled with him.

I rolled my eyes. "You two are honestly too loud sometimes. You're going to make yourselves go deaf." I put one hand on my hip, glaring. "Can we get back? I have other things to do than hang out with this parade."

Everyone stopped to stare at me.

"What?" I demanded.

"You're a lot meaner at night," Yaya commented with a pout.

Urk. "R-really? I'm the same as always!" I brushed it off with a nervous laugh. "Homeward bound!" Then I scuttled off so they wouldn't be able to question me.

"That was close," I sighed the next day while walking home.

"You have to watch yourself more at night time," Scarlet scolded. "Your Vampiric nature starts to come out."

"I know!" I hissed. "It's not like I do it intentionally, it just happens!"

"If this keeps up, you'll be discovered before long," Miki pointed out.

"ARGH, I KNOW I KNOW I KNOW!" I yelled, felling in the mood to rip my hair out.

"Um, excuse me…" I heard a tiny voice say from behind me.

I whirled on them, eyes ablaze. "WHAT?!" Then I immediately regretted it.

Tears sprouted in the little girl's eyes. She was adorable, with golden blonde hair and eyes the colour of aqua marines. She looked about five, and she was dressed in a kindergarten school uniform. She was so tiny that I felt completely guilty for snapping at her.

"I- I'm so sorry to bother you…," She sniffled, making my heart thump.

"No, not at all," I smiled at her while crouching down. "I'm sorry for snapping. How can I help you?"

"You have… pretty red hair," she observed, yanking on it tightly.

I was trying my hardest to keep my wavering smile in place. "Yes, I do."

"Like that lady from last night."

I froze. "What."

"You're that silver haired lady from last night, right?"

Even the wind was still in those long moments of silence. Until I screamed.

AHHHHH! MY IDENTITY HAS BEEN FOUND OUT BY A FIVE-YEAR-OLD!

"Aileen, calm down!" Ran panted, but she was freaking out, too.

"Those are the same little fairies," the little girl confirmed. "You're definitely her."

"No, no, no!" I told her, shaking my head so hard that I felt like it would fall off. "I am definitely not the person you're thinking of!"

"But…" Her eyes started tearing up again. "I need your help…!"

Again with the silence, until I crouched down in front of her again, my knees cracking as I did so. "If I was her," I sighed. "What would you need help with?"

She was quiet for a long time, sniffling. "You… make dark and bad things turn light and happy again, right? Like that egg?"

Wow, she saw it all. "Maybe I do."

"It's about my older sister," she sighed. "She goes to school with you, I'm pretty sure. She hasn't been good lately. She's been scary and bad." She looked up at me with hopeful eyes. "Can you help her?"

I looked to my Guardian Characters, and they nodded at me. It could be the influence of an X Egg. I sighed, seeing no other option. "I'll see what I can do. What's your name, kid?"

She smiled blindingly brightly. "Elaina!"

"And who is your sister?"

"Fatima Bells!"

I didn't know her, but then again, I hardly knew anyone. "When you see her, can you take me to her?"

"Yes!"

"And," I started, pointing a threatening finger at her. "You absolutely cannot tell anybody that I'm the lady with the silver hair, alright?"

"I promise!" Elaina said, copping it off with a salute.

"Okay then," I said, holding out my pinkie. "Let's promise. I promise to help your sister if you promise to keep my secret."

We pinky swore. "It's a promise!" She giggled. "Then, I'll take my sister to you next time! What's your name?"

I smiled at her. "I'm Aileen, but you can just call me Ai."

"Then I'll see you later, Ai!" She skipped away happily.

After a few long moments of silence, I'm pretty sure my head exploded. "What the hell just happened?"

"You were dragged into her pace," all of my Charas sighed.

I groaned. "I seem to have a problem with that."

"Tell me about it."

The Guardian Meeting seemed to drag on more than usual, probably because I know had more personal problems to deal with. Sure, the kid promised me, but she was _five_. I doubted she'd be able to keep anything a secret. I couldn't risk having the Guardians know and then have her tell them that I'm 'the lady with the silver hair'. I'd probably be fired.

But then Nadeshiko looked up from her paperwork, and smiled at something in the bushes. "Oh my, what can we help you with?"

I tilted my head up from the couch's armrest to see little Elaina behind a bush of flowers, whimpering slightly. Immediately, I bolted upright.

"Awww, look how cute she is," Kukai said, acting like some sort of big brother.

"Hello, little girl!" Yaya chirped.

Tadase smiled kindly. "Are you looking for someone?"

Elaina pointed at me.

I tucked her under my arm in a football hold, then darted off.

"What do you need?" I asked as I ran.

"My sister's waiting to meet you at that gazebo." She pointed to the furthest one, making me sigh.

I shifted her so that she was on my back, clinging to it like a finger monkey. "Hold on tight," I ordered. She tightened her grip, and I started running (at human speed, of course) toward the gazebo.

When we got there, I gently crouched down for her to get off. Someone was sitting there, someone with shoulder length black hair with toxic purple streaks.

"That's her," Elaina said.

With another huge sigh, from me and my Charas, I walked toward her until I was behind her. "Are you Fatima Bells?"

"_Hmmmm…?" _The head slowly turned to reveal…

A demon face.

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

"Oh, it's the infamous Aileen Howard," said a female voice. The mask was taken off to reveal a very pale face with dark make-up and… red eyes?! "Do you have need of me?"

Elaina appeared behind me, so startled I had fallen to the ground, and whispered, "That's her. She used to be so nice and she looked just like me… but now she's scary." She pointed a trembling finger at the mask.

I looked to my Charas to see if she was under the influence of an X Egg, but most of them were on the ground, just as frightened as I was. But Scarlet was still kicking, and she shook her head, a peculiar look on her face.

Elaina was continuing her explanation. "She used to always play with me, but now she only stays in her room watching and reading stuff about vampires, werewolves, witches…"

_Ohhhhhhhh._

So she wasn't under the influence; she was just obsessed with the occult. We were not going to get along well.

Fatima cocked her head to one side creepily, watching me with calculating eyes. I sat very still, wondering that if I stayed frozen she would just go away.

But after a long time, she said, "You're a vampire, aren't you."

TODAY WASN'T MY DAY!

"NO!" I yelled. "Those things don't exist! I don't even know what you're talking about! What on earth gave you that conclusion?!" My eyes were darting side to side like a frightened animal. I really needed to get better at hiding what I am…

"You have all the attributes," she continued, like I hadn't said anything. "Unearthly beauty, pale skin, the aura, and…" She suddenly stood and pressed a hand to my chest, startling me, and for some reason, I heard a thump in the distance… "Your chest is cold. Right where your heart is."

I backed away quickly, crossing my arms over my chest. It was true; demon blood can't sustain life, which is why we take the blood of humans. But it keeps our hearts going. The rest of our bodies get warm, but our hearts will always be cold. Because they aren't human.

But I had to wonder; why did she know that? Maybe she was way more into the occult than I had thought…

Elaina tugged on the back of my shirt, sniffling. "Can you help her…?"

I didn't know what to say. This was just a phase, probably, so it would blow over. But I made a promise to this little girl, to help her sister. So maybe if I get her interested in different things…?

Then it hit me. This would help me, too, since the kid would keep her mouth shut and her sister wouldn't continue suspecting that I'm a Vampire! It's foolproof!

…Or so I thought…

Everywhere I took Fatima, she always found some supernatural link. Shopping, for a car ride, to freaking Tim Horton's! I would think this was more than a phase, now; this was an obsession!

Now I was taking her on a walk through the park (I was treating her like some sort of pet…). She glanced around at the green trees and apple blossoms that were falling to the ground peacefully. Couples were on benches, actually enjoying ice cream since this spring was abnormally hot. The lake glistened underneath the sun, with little kids splashing around in it. That's what she was staring at, more than anything.

That got me thinking. Maybe if I found the root to her obsession, I could solve it. Then this whole thing would be over and done with. Oh, how I long for that. The things I do for my secrets.

"Um… why are you interested in the supernatural?" I asked while laughing nervously to make it like no big deal.

She stopped, and was quiet for a long time. Fatima was so tiny compared to the tree she stood before, probably five foot nothing and extremely thin and… worn in. The laughter of the children in the lake kept echoing, and their parents were playing with them now, too. Against the sunset, it looked like some kind of commercial or something.

"Maybe it's because…" Fatima started, startling me. "It's a link out of here. Out of this unfair world…"

I cocked my head to one side. "What do you mean?" I kind of already got what she meant; with my Charas I could almost pretend like I wasn't some sort of blood-sucking demon. But not completely.

"My sister and I… didn't live in the greatest conditions," she sighed. "Our parents looked like they got along, but behind closed doors, they were always fighting. Physically abusing each other… eventually, they were reprimanded after they started taking it out on us. Elaina doesn't remember that well. I tried to make her forget.

"My grandparents took us in, and I was perfectly happy in another world. The world of the supernatural, where everything seemed interesting and better. I could escape from reality."

Everything was quiet for a long time, even the children's laughter fading away. I could hear the sound of waves lapping against the shore, birds ruffling their feathers in the trees. And in that moment, I began to understand that sometimes having no parents may be better than having any. You might not have to suffer as much.

I also began to understand that a lot of humans have it rough.

"I can tell you all of this because you're a Vampire," she suddenly said, turning to face me. "You have to keep secrets. That's part of your rules."

"You should think of your sister more," I said suddenly, hanging my head so my bangs hid my eyes.

"Huh…?"

"How do you think she feels, abandoned like this? Her parents are gone, and now her sister is going MIA too. She might be feeling all alone right now." I looked up to glare at her. "And you're only thinking of saving yourself."

She stared at me, utterly baffled. And then she just left. She didn't admit if I was wrong or right; she just ran away, trying to leave all of her problems behind.

"There are a lot of humans like that, huh," I mumbled, more to myself than my Charas.

Ran floated down to sit on my shoulder, patting my cheek in a comforting way. "It's okay. Maybe she'll come around."

"I doubt it," someone suddenly said from beside me. It sounded like it came from the bench...

I popped my head over it, since it was facing the lake, and found Ikuto lounging on the park bench, his eyes laughing at my antics.

Crouching down so that the bench hid everything but my narrowed eyes, I glared at him. "How much did you hear?"

"I was napping," he shrugged, then stretched like a cat. "I hardly heard anything. Except for the end."

"You sleep in the weirdest places."

"One of my many talents."

"Why do you doubt that she'll come around?" I asked, staring down at his eyes.

He was quiet a long time, turning to face the lake. Then he murmured, "Family issues… are probably the hardest to overcome."

We remained in silence for a long time, lost in our own memories. I didn't understand what went through his head, but what went through mine was probably much different.

"_Aileen… My beautiful red haired baby…"_

"_Muh…" The word couldn't form properly on my mouth, my head tilting to one side eerily. "Moth… er? What's going on?" I was beginning to border on insanity, laughing nervously at the scene in front of me. "Your hair… looks as red as mine… but it's black! Ha ha, I wonder why everyone else is turning red. Why I can't see the colours of their eyes anymore."_

_She immediately grasped me tightly to her chest, and that was like the switch. Reality began sinking in. The wooden stakes protruding out of everyone, some pinned to the wall with daggers, some with their shirts torn off and games of tic-tac-toe carved into their backs with blades. And then there was my father, his heart being eaten out as I sat there, staring, by a Pulsator._

"_Aileen…" She gasped, and her voice sounded wet and gurgling. "You're the one. I was hoping you wouldn't be, but… Now you have to face this world alone. All alone."_

_All alone, all alone, all alone, all alone, all alone…_

"_This is just another nightmare, right?" I sobbed. "This isn't real. This can't be real. You can't just leave me."_

"_I love you. And someday, I hope you find someone to stand by your side and understand you."_

"_Why are you talking like this is goodbye?!"_

_I could feel her chicks lift as she smiled, warm and wet stuff seeping from her clothes to mine. It carried a sweet scent, pining and beckoning. My throat burned as I breathed it in, making me cough._

"_Your fate… is already tied to someone." Then she dropped to the ground, eyes rolling into the back of her head and… turning to singe marks in the floorboard._

_That was all that was left of my mother._

I snapped back to reality, hating how I remembered that so vividly. Remembered so many details. Whoever was the X in tic-tac-toe on my sister's back won.

My eyes turned cold and steely. So much time has passed since then.

But then my Guardians came.

"You're wrong," I said to Ikuto, with so much conviction he turned around to look at me.

The steel in my eyes was fading away, replaced with a golden flare of passion. "People can get over things, because they are strong. They just need someone to be there with them. Some dreams to believe in." I clenched my hand into a fist. "They can change."

For a long time, Ikuto stared at me, midnight pools looking at golden flames. Then I started to get weirded out, and turned to leave.

"I hope I won't see you later," I snapped.

But then I was yanked back by his hand on my wrist and his voice whispering, "Wait."

He continued his staring thing, but then suddenly dropped my hand like it was burning him. "Never mind."

I turned away again, glancing over my back to look at him weirdly. "You're really odd." And then I left for real, wondering what was up with him and how to help Fatima.

_Conclusion on how to help Fatima:_

_I GOT NOTHIN'._

The Guardians looked at me worriedly as I stopped writing that and bashed my head against the table a few times. This seemed impossible. I couldn't help her, since I couldn't properly understand her. But there had to be something I could do… Maybe I could keep trying to distract her. Ugh, but maybe she didn't find anything interesting because she was so focused on her parents fighting… I just wanted to scream and rip my hair out.

"Miss Howard," Tadase asked softly. I looked up to meet his smiling face. "If there's anything you're having trouble with, don't hesitate to ask."

For a moment, I sat in silence as everyone smiled at me supportively. Then I realized this is what Fatima needed. True friends that would stick by her and support her.

So I smiled at the Guardians, pure and true. "Thank you!"

They were shocked at the sudden change in expression, but they didn't have time to say anything, since Elaina came rushing in with tears streaming down her face and wounds on her tiny frame.

"Elaina!" I snapped out of my chair, knocking it over in my rush, and was in front of her in a second. "What's wrong? What happened?"

"Buh…" Her throat was all choked up, and she had to try speaking a few times. But when she did, my blood ran cold. "Big sister's in trouble! She has a black egg thing with her!"

What could have happened?!

"Aileen, what's going on?" Nadeshiko asked. "She saw an X Egg? Where?"

I didn't answer, but I picked Elaina up gently and hugged her to my chest awkwardly, having never done it before. "She can explain on the way." I jerked my head, telling them to come along.

As we speed-walked across the school yard and out of its grounds altogether, Elaina began telling us what had happened last night.

"She came home after going out for a while," she sniffled, and I assumed that was after I had told her to look after Elaina in the park. "She was different than usual, so I asked her what was wrong. She just stared at me for a bit, then started mumbling things to herself."

Elaina had to pause to sob, so I patted her back comfortingly. "Before I knew it, she was smiling, but she had a black egg with a big white X above her!"

Sounds like she finally snapped. Maybe something I said had actually rubbed her the wrong way. Oops.

"Are we getting closer?" Kukai asked me, walking faster so that he matched my pace.

I nodded. "I think so. Ran?"

Ran nodded at everyone. "I can sense the presence of an X Egg up ahead!"

We all began increasing our pace, determined and purposeful. Ahead was the park we went to yesterday evening, but it was completely empty.

Except for Fatima, standing spot in the middle of it, an X Egg floating above her and her lifeless eyes.

"Fatima!" I yelled, putting Elaina down and pushing her behind me. "What the hell do you think you're doing?!"

She smiled creepily, red liquid flowing from her eyes. _Son of a bitch! _"If I'm leaving poor Elaina behind, then she should just come with me." She held her arms high up in the air, laughing at the sky. "Everyone should join the world of horror!"

The X Egg shook, and then, an X Character popped out, with bat wings and fangs. This one seemed dangerous, since it had dreams of the supernatural in it, like Scarlet. Fatima collapsed to the ground, making Elaina start screaming. Kukai scooped her up in her arms, nodding at me to go for it.

"My own heart: Unlock!"

In a second, I had Character Transformed with Ran, crouching and ready to pounce. The X Character cussed, then started curling in on itself.

Yaya cocked her head to one side. "Is it having a seizure?"

Then it burst out of its ball, red bats with large fangs flying everywhere.

"NO IT IS NOT! AHHHHHH!" It was safe to say that Yaya was the first to go running behind a tree, switching places with Kukai so he could fight. Nadeshiko, Tadase, and him all Character Changed, which I doubted would be able to be of much help.

The bats where coming from everywhere, it seemed, and could change their targets like heat seeking missiles. This was like a game of dodgeball, but if you were hit, you were more than just out.

I was jumping from place to place, focusing on what was in front of me. So I didn't notice the bats flying to my back, mouths wide open and ready to bite.

But, lucky for me, Tadase did.

He had my back in a second, shielding us with Holy Crown. I whirled to face him and his struggle to keep them away, seeing the toll it was taking on his body.

"Tadase…?" I asked quietly, too shocked to yell. "Why did you… do that? You could've gotten hurt!"

He looked back to smile at me, his face slightly glowing with sweat. "Guardian or not, it's a guy's job to protect an important girl."

I felt like my heart just exploded, and so did my cheeks, considering how red they were.

"Tadase…" I murmured, touched. Then I nodded at him, smiling back. "Let's work together."

He released the shield, the bats all gone from putting too much pressure on themselves. The X Character kept shooting them out, and in return, I went airborne and shot them with Bursting Flare. Nadeshiko was picking them off with her naginata, Kukai smashing their head in with his skateboard. I felt proud to be working with these people, all of a sudden. I smiled below at them.

"AILEEN, LOOK OUT!"

And then I turned around too late.

-Ikuto-

"Ikuto, are you skipping school again?" Yoru asked, flying around me in an… irritating… fashion.

I shrugged indifferently. "There's nothing for me there."

"You're going to get expelled, I hope you know."

"Whatever."

Yesterday in the park, what was I going to say to Aileen? That I had seen her look so incredibly sad, then brush it off and stand even stronger than before? I had never seen a girl like that before. I found that they usually tended to wallow in self-pity, especially after rejection.

When I grabbed her wrist, the unusual warmth still surprised me. When she turned to look at me, I found myself feeling a bit warm, too. But then something in her eyes flashed, something sort of… monstrous. So I dropped her hand, surprised and confused.

"Hmm…" I said aloud, making Yoru perk up. "Maybe I will go." School was boring, but it could take my mind off things, if anything.

Then I heard a scream from the nearby park. A girl's scream.

"What the hell was that?" Yoru asked, his ears leaning down at the loud noise. I shrugged. It wasn't any of my business.

But then I heard a guy's voice, one that sounded strangely like Tadase's, yell in return, "AILEEN!"

I sat up.

"Oooh, looks like big-breasted girl is in trouble," Yoru snickered, but then he stopped laughing since he finally noticed that I was long gone.

_Why was she screaming?_

I hid in the safety of the leaves in a large tree, staring down at the scene before me, looking for her. And when my eyes found her, it was kind of like time just stopped.

There she was, on the ground, bite marks all over her skin and blood seeping through her clothes. It sounded like the fell, since she was having serious trouble breathing. Tadase was leaning over her, two other Guardians fending off some red bat things. He was patting her face lightly, trying to get her to wake up. But her eyes wouldn't open. They were squeezed shut in pain, her eyebrows furrowed.

"Souma, switch places with me!" He called to the boy with the fiery hair. "Take her somewhere they can't get her! GET HER OUT OF HERE!"

"Roger!" The boy said, swooping out of defense, getting Aileen in a princess carry, then sprinting off into the trees.

Yoru had finally caught up to me, panting and asking what the hell. But he stopped when he caught the look on my face.

"Ikuto…?"

"Character Transform. _Now._"

We Transformed more quickly than ever before, and I leaped out of the tree and onto the scene.

"Oh, great," I heard the girly boy cuss when she caught sight of me.

"Ikuto Tsukiyomi!" Tadase yelled, looking pissed off.

"That X Character," I growled, my bangs hiding my face. I looked up, my entire body filling with what felt like white fury. "IS MINE!"

-Aileen-

"The fuck happened?" I demanded, sitting up against a tree.

"Aileen!" Ran sobbed. "You're okay!"

I scratched my head, feeling like I… fell on something. There were scars on my arms and legs, looking like very tiny bite marks. Then I remembered. Those vicious little bastards biting me and sucking my blood out, dropping dead from the demonic nature of it. I was in the sky, and then I fell to the ground at a dazedly fast speed, hence the bump on my head.

My Charas, besides Scarlet, were all curled to my chest, sobbing with relief. After a moment, I wrapped my hands around them. "It's okay," I murmured. "I can't get hurt from something like that very easily. And, besides, I can't die, remember?"

The smiled up at me. "We're just so glad."

I vaguely remembered being carried to the safety of the trees by Kukai, but didn't see him anywhere. I asked Scarlet where he went off to.

She shrugged. "We said we'd take care of you, so he went back to fight. It seems that Ikuto Tsukiyomi has appeared, as well."

I frowned. "No one needs that. He's probably just here to destroy Fatima's egg." I stood, dusting of my skirt as I did so. "There's no way I'm letting _that_ happen! Scarlet!"

"Character Transformation: Scarlet Dancer!"

I leapt from the safe spot on the ground, getting a lot of air and spreading my wings, feeling the immense release and freedom it had on my back. Flying over the trees (but making sure the passer-by didn't see me), it was easy to spot the fight. The Guardians weren't holding up very well, Yaya and Elaina were trembling behind the trees, and Ikuto was getting slowed down as well.

Suddenly, the bats were right in front of Ikuto, and they were gaining more speed and momentum. He wouldn't be able to stop them, despite his immense strength. He crouched in a protective stance, preparing for the worst.

Then I was in front of him, slicing through all of them with the ribbons on my wrists.

I looked back at him and winked. "You're welcome."

He just blinked at me.

"Oh, fabulous!" Kukai yelled, obviously getting frustrated. "Now she's here, too!"

"Chill out, kid," I chastised him, simply striding towards the out-of-control X Character. "I got this, so you guys just go snuggle back up in your safe little beds."

"YEAH, RIGHT!"

The bats were trying to get at me, but I simply just kept slashing right through them. I crouched down, preparing to use my true speed. In one second, I was behind the X Character, and it flinched, twitching to look back at me.

I smiled evilly at it. "My, you have caused quite a bit of trouble."

It tried smiling nervously, to say "We cool, right?".

I shook my head. "Afraid not, you sick little-" The bats stopped as I closed my hand around it, shaking it up and down like a bottle of pop. "I'm so pissed off at you, you little prick."

"Let it go!" Nadeshiko yelled at me. I blinked innocently at her. "Our friend has to purify it! You can't destroy it!"

I waved my other hand dismissively. "Details, details. The fact remains that this little troublemaker is going to be punished. Well, see you!"

As I started to fly further into the forest again, I called back, "I have stained your memories scarlet!"

Once the Character was all purified and I was normal again, I sagged against the tree with relief. "Thank GOD all of that is finally over."

"Aileen!" Everyone yelled, coming after me. "Are you alright?"

I smiled at them, noting Ikuto's absence. "I'm just fine. It didn't hurt as much as it looked."

Tadase smiled, clearly relieved. "Oh thank goodness."

My face flushed, remembering the moment that the two of us shared. I couldn't help but look at him as a guy in this moment, strong and willing to give up everything to protect a girl.

"Let's get back to Fatima," I sighed, standing up.

"Can you stand?" Nadeshiko asked worriedly.

For the first time in a while, I looked right into her eyes and smiled. "Yes, I'm totally fine."

We quickly hurried back to Fatima, sitting up and looking around dazedly.

"Are you alright?" I asked her, crouching down.

"What… happened?" She asked groggily, squeezing her eyes shut. "I feel… funny."

I placed my hand on top of hers, and she looked up at me, surprised.

"You don't have to pretend that everything's okay," I murmured. "You can cry. You can face reality, because I'm here. You're not… alone anymore."

She stared at me, tears starting to form in her eyes. Then she started sobbing, apologizing over and over again. Elaina had come out of the trees, and she hugged her sister tightly, saying that she loved her.

I smiled, so glad that I had brought a family together again.

"Ai," Elaina said, tugging on my shirt. I looked down at her, holding up a dandelion to my face. "Thank you for saving my sister!"

I stared at it for a second. She was giving me a _weed. _

Then I smiled widely, so happily that my eyes squeezed shut. I took it from her hand gently, saying, "Thank you!"

The Guardians seemed dumbfounded, and Tadase's face was looking a little bit red. Then they smiled at us as well.

As the two sisters walked away, hand in hand, Kukai turned to me to flick me on the head.

"Ow!" I yelled, rubbing it tenderly. "What was that for?!"

"For being stupid!" He scolded, invading my personal space. "Don't do things all by yourself! You can depend on us, you know!"

All of the Guardians agreed in a chorus, and my Charas smiled at me. Even Scarlet.

I smiled at them. "I know I've said this already today, but…" I wrapped my arms around all of their shoulders, making a group hug. "Thank you!"

And now I knew that I wasn't alone anymore, either. I had these wonderful people working together with me, standing beside me because I was Aileen, not because I was Aileen Howard or Aileen Vartiter. But because I was me. Granted, they didn't know everything about me, but they still accepted me. And that was enough.

As the sun set, I got this feeling in my heart, a feeling that all of this happiness would be disrupted. And very soon.

_**Taadaa! Chapter IX is finally done! I ran out of chapters to just copy and paste, so this one took so long since I actually had to write it. This was an original filler chapter that I came up with, more to shed light on Aileen's past and show her getting closer to the Guardians than anything.**_

_**Aileen: "I don't know why, but I feel really happy today!"**_

_**Nadeshiko: "*Giggles* Probably because Tadase's starting to look at you more."**_

_**Aileen: "WHAT?! THAT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH IT!"**_

_**Supernatural Dictionary:**_

_**Vampire: A demon who has to drink blood to survive, since demon blood can't properly sustain any life. Their body temperatures tend to be above average since they have so much blood in their systems, but their demon hearts will always be cold. They beat, though, and they are rather difficult to kill. A stake through the heart usually isn't enough, but you have to burn them or get another demon to eat their hearts out. The first Vampire in existence, Xionattraynzia, made a deal with Mephistopheles to sell her soul for eternal life. He agreed, but it came at a price: She had to drink human blood at least every fortnight, making eternal life almost not worth living.**_

_**Pulsator: A very small demon, about the size of your average human man hand, that eat out the hearts of whatever prey they please. They cling to your back, so light you don't even notice them, then eat their way through your bones and flesh until they reach your heart, then come out the other side. They are vicious, you hear me? Vicious. And since they are so tiny, that makes their brains small as well. Pulsator don't care about who its prey is. Pulsator don't give a shit.**_

_**I came up with a Pulsator by myself, along with the history and nature of the Vampires in this story. Stay tuned for more paranormal info!**_

_**Please leave a review to tell me what you think! Any thoughts are appreciated! **_


	10. Chapter 10

_**Back again for yet another chapter! You know what, I was surprised when I saw how many people have viewed this fanfic, pleasantly though! So I'd like to thank everyone who has read this far, left a review, favourited, and followed this story! I was going to give up on this fanfic a while ago, actually, but now I'm writing it all the time and I couldn't be happier!**_

_**Aileen: "Really? What if cute Geography boy made a move on you?"**_

_**Crimrose4all: "*Giggles* I'd be ecstatic. You should take a page out of my book and be more honest with your feelings. I'm sure Ikuto and Tadase would appreciate it."**_

_**Aileen: "Wh-what!? AS IF! I DON'T GIVE A DAMN WHAT THOSE TWO THINK!"**_

_**Disclaimer: I do not own Shugo Chara.**_

_**Aileen: "By the way, doesn't Geography guy have a name?"**_

_**Crimrose4all: *TWITCHES***_

_**Aileen: "…*Smirks* Well, well. Looks like someone has a sensitive subject."**_

_**Crimrose4all: "You best be keeping your mouth shut. I created you and I can destroy you just as easily."**_

_Chapter X: Dark Clover_

"AH!"

I bolted upright in bed, throwing off my covers and poor, defenseless Fluffy, who went flying. My Charas were jolted awake and all began yelling at once, and it all seemed like too much.

"SHUT UP, EVERYONE! MY THROAT JUST HURTS!"

They stopped yelling and turned to glare at me.

"Then why were you screaming?" Miki asked.

Getting up out of bed to make sure Fluffy was still alive, I rubbed my neck tenderly. "I'm thirsty."

Scarlet sighed. "You purified three X Eggs at once yesterday, conking you out the second you got home. Not even the smell of blood can wake those who sleep like the dead."

Carefully stroking Fluffy's fur and avoiding her little teeth trying to nip at me, I groaned. "Why do I feel insulted by that statement?"

"Probably because it was supposed to be insulting."

"A part of myself is insulting me. Huh." I stood, confirming that Fluffy was as bitchy (yet adorable) as ever, put her in her cage, then started downstairs.

This mansion had been owned by the Howard family for generations, so it's very old and creaky in a lot of places. My room had been renovated after I moved in, which is why I never had to pick my way around my old floors. But I definitely had to do it in these halls, and I took the railing downstairs since the stairs were the creakiest of all.

Despite all of our rooms being soundproof since we all have super hearing and don't want to invade anyone's privacy, if sounds like creaky floorboards are too loud or too close, everyone will undoubtedly wake up. Normal people wouldn't even care, but hey, they took me in. The least I could do was be a good girl and not try to wake them up.

As soon as I was downstairs, I made a beeline for the fridge and tore it open. Blood baggies sat in neat little rows, taking up most of the space, and I yanked one out. Versus tearing it open and downing it, I sink my teeth into the actual bag to suck it out.

Thought I hate to admit it, there was a part of me, the demon part, that wanted something more coarse to tear through. I wanted something to fight me so I could easily get its blood, and I wanted to have to bite very hard. With baggies, I don't even try. I guess you could say it's not very fun.

Once I was finished sucking the bag dry, I wiped my mouth with the back of my hand and looked back at my Charas, Ran and Miki looking sardonic, and Scarlet like she wanted some, too. I poured a bit of some in a shot glass and slid it over to her, and she drank it greedily.

"Oh, wait," I said, feeling bad for only just noticing. "Where's Su? Was she with you when we woke up?"

Ran considered. "I don't think so. Dang, where did she go?"

Miki cussed. "Knowing her, she got lost on her way to get food."

"I heard that, " Su called cheerily, floating in from the window. She put her hands on her hips and her face puffed up like a blowfish. "For your information, I was going on my morning walk."

She started glaring at us when we all gave her a look.

"You're so flighty," I sighed, starting to whip up some bacon and eggs.

"Remember that means that you are, too."

"I don't get how that works."

"Aileen, have you looked at the time?" Ran asked, stifling a laugh.

I glanced at the clock quickly, then immediately turned off the stove and ran upstairs to get dressed. So much for not waking anyone up.

"Shit!" I hissed as I slipped on the floor a bit in sock fit, making a huge bump echo down the hall. I threw open the door to my room and fished my uniform out of my closet, yanking it all on in a hurry. My Guardian Characters followed me around the room with their eyes so much I thought that they would get whiplash.

Just as I was ready to go, I heard two soft "Big sister"s calling me from the front hall.

I turned to see Sonata and Aria, clad in pyjamas, staring at me with their expressionless amber gazes.

"Don't forget…" Sonata started.

"That our birthdays is tomorrow," Aria finished with a smile that didn't reach her eyes.

I felt horrible for forgetting instantly, and I'd have to buy a present quickly tonight. So I smiled at them quickly. "I won't. And you'll get the best present ever from me, too!"

Sonata and Aria stood still for a long time as my footsteps echoed down the hall, and then out of the house. Then they simultaneously closed their eyes, only to reopen them again, but they shone like rubies.

"That smile will soon…"

"Evaporate with the spring night wind…"

"With the sorrowful melody…"

"Of a man's violin…"

"I said I'd get them the best present ever," I sighed before the Guardians' meeting, walking towards the greenhouse. The sun wasn't glinting off of the sheer glass today, since the clouds were moody and the colour of slate.

"But you have no idea what to get them, do you," Miki finished with a sigh. "And _there's _Aileen's flighty side."

"Thank you!" Su yelled, finally being proven right.

I waved them off. "I'm not going to take their lead and hand something over like a pack of glue," I groaned, thinking. "It should be something with sentimental value that they can keep forever."

"What are you talking about?"

I jumped almost four feet off the ground when I suddenly heard Kukai right behind me. I was so focused that I didn't even notice his approach, and he was smirking with satisfaction that he scared me.

"Don't do that," I warned, pointing an angry finger at him.

He barked out a laugh. "No promises. You look like you're worried about something."

I turned and started walking again, Kukai following close behind. "Mmm. My little sisters' birthday is coming up soon, and I have no clue what to get them."

Kukai considered. "How about make-up? Don't girls like stuff like that?"

"They're going to be six."

"So?"

I sighed. "I knew you'd be too oblivious to ask. No, you do not give a six-year-olds make-up, Kukai."

He shrugged indifferently. "It's not like I know anything; I have four brothers and no sisters."

I snorted. "Go figure."

"What's that supposed to mean?" He challenged.

"I'll leave that up to your imagination."

We entered that garden than, bickering about how one didn't get the other's circumstances. Everyone was already waiting for us, smiling brightly despite the overcast weather.

"I'm sorry to say," I began as we sat down. "That I'll have to leave from the meeting early today. I have to go shopping for my little sisters' birthday presents."

"Ohhh, that's exciting!" Yaya cheered. "I wish I could still get awesome presents, instead of everyone focusing on Tsubasa."

I cocked my head to the side. "Who's that?"

Yaya leaned back in her chair, pouting. "My little brother."

"Oh." There were a few moments of silence, broken when I snorted lightly.

Before Yaya could get out of her chair and take a spaz, Kukai grabbed her back down. "Ignore her. She must be PMSing."

"BULLSHIT!" I screamed at him, face red like everyone else's. Here's the thing; Vampires, any demon as a matter of fact, do not menstruate. It's a human thing, focusing on their natural body chemistry. We can have kids, and they are indeed made during sex, but we. Do. Not. Get. Our. Periods. Nice try, Kukai.

"Ignoring him," Nadeshiko coughed awkwardly. "If you need help shopping, I'll come with you." She smiled kindly at me, and I took up her offer. Soon after, it turned out that everyone was coming. One person probably would've been enough, but oh well. It's a 'bonding experience', as Tadase put it.

"What kind of stuff do they like?" Nadeshiko asked, holding up a Barbie doll.

I shook my head at it, and waited a long time to answer. Then I slowly turned my head toward them, smiling totally creepily, and said, "Voodoo and shit."

Kukai burst into laughter, at what I said or my attempt to be creepy, I didn't know. But that made me laugh while the others just shook their heads like we were ridiculous.

"No, but seriously," I gasped, wiping a tear from my eye. "They like insanely creepy stuff like voodoo. No joke."

Yaya stared at me. "And these are your sisters?"

"Shut the hell up." Technically, they were not, but that was inconsequential.

We looked around downtown for quite a while, at a variety of different shops. We even got desperate and went into an all-year-'round Halloween shop, where I let my Charas get them small gifts (which Scarlet did not partake in), but other than that, I was empty-handed.

That didn't last for long, especially since I passed a jewelry store that had a very interesting display on the front. The two pieces of yin and yang on separate necklaces, but as a matching set. The second I saw them, I knew they were perfect. Sonata and Aria were always together, always finishing each other's sentences, always off in their own little world. They understood each other perfectly, reading each other's minds all the time.

This gift was perfect for them. They could keep them forever, and the two sides on yin and yang were like them themselves. I paid in full, a small price compared to what this gift would mean to them. Sonata and Aria were part of each other; they had a bond that no one else could understand, no matter the attempt. They were special. They were one of a kind.

I was almost skipping on our way back, so happy and not even focusing on my Charas. Which was a bad mistake, in hindsight.

"You certainly look happy," Tadase said, coming up next to me while smiling warmly.

I nodded enthusiastically. "Yeah. I think they'll really like them." I hugged the small bag to my chest, grinning like a fool. "This is actually the first year I decided to get them something."

Tadase looked confused. "Why's that?"

I thought for a minute, the sounds of Kukai making fun of Yaya's hair while pulling on it fading into the background. Then I looked Tadase in the eyes, mine full of warmth. "It's probably because I met all of you. You guys changed me. I wanted to do something for them, even if it was small."

He seemed surprised, his cheeks reddening a little. I cocked my head to one side, asking if he felt sick.

"No, um…" He floundered for words, his tongue seeming to get stuck to the roof of his mouth.

"You're really dense, you know that." Kukai called to me with a pitying expression.

"WHAT DID YOU SAY?!"

-Yoru-

"And so I decree that yes, it is perfectly okay to make some hot dog vendor's carts smell like cat piss just for the satisfaction," I concluded at the stray cat's meeting, and was met with a chorus of joyful meows. I nodded in satisfaction at the statement, but was distracted by someone yelling, "WHAT DID YOU SAY?!"

I recognized that voice. It was mature and feminine, and extremely annoying. Peeking around the corner with a glare fixed on my face, I saw Aileen Howard noogying the shit out of that guy with the fiery hair.

"Hmmm, I can't just let a perfect opportunity fly by," I growled, my tail swaying from side to side in anticipation. My cat followers closed in behind me as I murmured a plan to them, waiting for one of her Charas to stop or hesitate about something.

Sure enough, it was the blonde girly one, running into the weird looking one with silver hair. The silver haired one turned back to glare at her, then just kind of… punched her on the head, and she floated down like a discarded scrap of paper, dropping something that was in a small bag.

"NOW!" I called to my cats. We bolted over and snatched the bag before she could get to it.

"Wha- Wait!" She called to us, floating back up again and beginning to pursue us.

We then proceeded to play a game that was identical to Monkey In The Middle, moving through the city as we did so. In one final burst, my mangy whit cat, Helen, tossed the bag back to me, and I tossed it into a scooter's open seat. The Chara floated in after it, but then…

It closed on her and drove away.

Our jaws dropped.

"I…" I began, floundering. "I DON'T KNOW ANYTHING!"

-Aileen-

Ran, Miki, Scarlet and I were just entering the dark forest that led to our house when I noticed that something was missing. I stopped dead in my tracks, fell silent for a very long time, then heaved the biggest sigh in history.

"Has anyone seen Su?"

My Charas looked from each other, then side to side. They fell limp and shook their heads.

"That's great. That's just fucking great," I groaned, rubbing a hand across my forehead.

"Don't worry," Ran said cheerily. "Us Guardian Characters can sense where our owners are, wherever they are! Su will make it back safely!"

"Yes, but this is Su we're talking about," I cussed.

Silence enveloped us yet again, broken when Miki said, rather sardonically, "She gon' die."

"Whatever. We just have to believe that she'll make it back here." I started up the forest hill again, the three little ones trailing behind. "We have stuff to do."

-Ikuto-

Gently, I laid down my violin on the top step of the gazebo. I ran my hand over its velvet case, thinking of how much guilt and pain one instrument could carry. Under the light of the moon, I felt a connection with it, being my passion and carrying my last name with the scenery.

But before I could even reach the latch that would open the case, Yoru floated on in, glancing around surreptitiously. I immediately knew something was suspicious, and called him on it.

"What?!" He demanded, glancing around. "Nothing, nothing at all. I didn't do anything. I'm a good kitty."

I glared at him. "Bull." I started pulling his face and ear at the same time, planning to force it out of him. "You're hiding something. Don't even try to lie."

"Okay, OKAY! JUST STOP PULLING ON MY FACE!" I let go, and he took a few moments to breath (or stall) before speaking. "I was just playing a little prank, but Aileen Howard's Guardian Character was… well, for lack of a better word, abducted."

My eyes widened in shock. One of her Guardians was missing? How was she dealing with that right now? Knowing her, she was probably either blowing it off or blowing it out of proportion, it's always one of the two.

I didn't feel comfortable seeing her now. The last time I did, she was injured and looked seconds away from death, but a few minutes later, she was perfectly fine. Better than fine, she was getting a weed from a little kid.

And smiling like it was the most precious treasure in the world.

Sitting on the top step for a second to think, I thought Aileen was actually having a huge spaz right now. With a sigh, I wondered why I even cared, and went to go pay her and her creepy mansion a little visit.

-Aileen-

"WHY ISN'T SU BACK YET?!" I yelled at my other Charas, who had to cover their ears and clench their teeth at the volume of my voice. Again, thank God for every room being soundproof.

"I don't know!" Ran yelled back, shaking her head. "Su may have a homing device built in her brain, but her brain is _tiny._ I don't know what we expected."

I collapsed in my chaise, throwing an arm over my eyes. "I'm worried as fuck," I muttered, shaking my head under my arm. "What if something happened to her?" I gasped and sat up again, eyes wide and frightened. "Oh my god, what if Ikuto got to her again? What if he's licking her again right now?!"

"You have a dirty mind," Miki commented.

"I agree," said a recognizable male voice from my balcony.

I glanced in that direction and sighed. "Speak of the damn devil." Standing up, my black knee-length halter dress fell down from being raked up too high, saving me from embarrassing myself in front of him again, though I wasn't positive why I cared. Striding over to the doors, I stood on the inside while he was on the out, and I crossed my arms and called, "What do you want."

Even though he didn't expect me to, I heard his murmurs through the glass, because of my super hearing and that he was leaning his head on it so breath marks appeared from the night's cold. "Your Guardian Character has been transported to the next town."

I tore the doors open, taking him by surprise. "_What the hell did you just say?_" I hissed.

He sighed. "I knew you'd react like this. I said, your Guardian Character has been transported to the next town."

I blinked at him, fury slowly boiling its way into my lion's eyes. Su. Lost in the next town. If that wasn't a recipe for disaster, I didn't know what was. I didn't ask Ikuto how he got that information; I just flitted back into my room, grabbed my leather jacket and shut off the lights, then was outside again. He was stunned at my inhuman speed, but I ignored that.

Slamming shut the balcony doors, I growled, "Which. Town."

I heard his heart skip a beat once he caught the look on my face, but his expression didn't show anything that would reveal his inner turmoil. "Port Serafina."

I didn't need to hear anything else; I just told him to get out then I was leaping over the balcony railing.

-Su-

The first thing I thought when I got out of my dark box prison was, _what a beautiful town!_

It was right by the water, probably one of the great lakes, and the waves were calmly lapping against the shore. It seemed that I was on a dock, and the town not too far away was gorgeous and styled like some sort of old timey pioneer city. All of the roads were light cobblestone, the houses either wood or stone themselves. There was a lighthouse nearby, shining like a beacon against the dark sky and waters. There was a large clock tower right in the middle, and I read that the time was 11:32 p.m.

My second thought was, _hold up, where in the world am I._

Despite the beauty of this place, I didn't recognize it at all. It was dark out, cold because of the night and water air, unfamiliar, and Aileen wasn't with me. This place seemed so much bigger without her, and I felt much more frightened and intimidated. Where was I, and what on earth had happened to even get me all the way out here?

Cautiously, so the same thing didn't reoccur, I pulled my present for the twins out of the scooter's seat compartment and tried to sense Aileen nearby, anywhere at all. Nothing. It seemed like I was very far away. Shrugging off the cold air and my fears with it, I steeled my shoulders and tried to navigate my way through this unfamiliar maze.

Which turned out to be such a big failure that it would make even Scarlet laugh. Absolutely nothing looked the slightest bit familiar, and I couldn't sense Aileen or anyone I knew nearby at all. My courage all went down the drain, leaving me cold and frightened in a big and unfamiliar place.

I thought it was all over. Would Aileen even notice I'm gone? Would she come looking for me? Would I freeze out here? Tears began streaming from my eyes, my shields all collapsing. My owner was precious to me; I hated being without her, and I hated leaving her alone.

What was I going to do?!

Once it seemed like all hope was lost, I heard a tiny meow from behind me. I was paranoid of cats now, that much I can say, but when I turned around, it was just a little black kitten that looked just as alone as I was.

That was odd. For some reason, that reminded me of Aileen and Mister Ikuto, both lost and alone, only to find each other in a dark place. Aileen's usually freezing chest got all warm when he was near, and no matter how much her mind denied it, we could sense in her heart that she wanted to be around him. It was like they were opposite magnets, being pulled together by the forces of nature, regardless of how much she might dislike it.

It's not that I felt all this between the kitten and I; I was just making the comparison as it flitted through my head.

"Hello there," I cooed to him, sensing that he was a boy. "Are you lost, too?"

For a response, he mewed sadly. I took that as a yes.

"Well, instead of being lost alone," I suggested. "How about we be lost together?"

His ears perked up, and he mewed happily. I smiled, relieved to be with someone in the dark.

-Aileen-

"Aileen, slow down!" Ran gasped, flying at full speed and still lagging behind a lot. "What if someone sees you?!"

"I don't care," I growled through clenched teeth, flitting through the woods by the highway to Port Serafina. "I have to find Su before she gets hurt, or flattened, or…" I gasped, a sudden idea coming to me. "Ikuto knew she was missing! What is he's after her?!"

"Then why would he tell you where she was?!" Miki demanded.

"True," I grumbled, confused by his actions. We were supposed to be enemies, yet he's helping me out? What was up with that?

"He's messed in the head," I began mumbling to myself. "Why else would he help an enemy?"

"Holy shit!" I heard Scarlet suddenly gasp. "Is that one of Those We Do Not Speak Of?!"

I came to an immediate halt, leaving deep skid marks in the forest floor. "WHERE."

She stuck her tongue out at me. "Kidding."

I glared at her with all my might. "Go suck a squirrel's blood."

"I was planning on doing that, actually."

"You are infuriating," I growled as I started flitting away again. "How can you just make fun of your owner like that?"

"Surprisingly easily."

Tiny lights started to pop out just up ahead, signalling me that the town was coming closer. Relief flooded through me like a powerful wind, and I finally started to slow down.

But then I felt my heart give a sudden strong pound, and I stopped dead in my tracks.

"What time is it?" I asked, barely a whisper.

Ran seemed to check some sort of internal clock, then looked at me in horror. "Midnight."

Now _I _was in trouble, too. My midnight craving was beginning to act up, making my throat ache and my heart smash against my rib cage. I tried my best to shove it down and ignore it, then kept pushing on.

"Aileen," Miki murmured worriedly. "Are you sure it's a good idea to go wandering into a town like this?"

"It'll be fine," I breathed, telling myself that Su needed me. "Who would be outside at this time, anyway?"

"Partying teenagers."

I groaned. "Forgot that the youth of today was so stupid and oblivious. Don't they know that they should be afraid of the dark?"

That got a laugh out of Scarlet. How on earth was there a part of me that enjoyed the occult?

Finally, the sign that read "Port Serafina" loomed before me like a warning. I could smell the clean lake water from here, so different from Larkin and its city fumes. My breath was coming much faster than it was, and I could smell humans hanging around outside.

Su was forgotten for a moment; All I could think about was the thought of blood pumping through their veins. It had been so long since I had straight human blood…

"Aileen, focus!" Ran hissed, tossing one of her pom poms at my tiger's orange eyes.

"Whoops, son of a gun," I laughed. "That could have been bad!"

Miki stared me down. "You're still thinking about it, huh."

"Yes."

"Then stop thinking about it!"

"It's kind of hard to when I'm THIRSTY!"

In a huff, I marched off to look for Su in the port-side town.

This turned out to be quite the task. I couldn't smell her anywhere, and the others couldn't even sense her. I began doubting Ikuto instantly after we checked in another sewer pipe. What if he really did trick me so he could steal Su away and do… something.

I was about ready to scream and rip my hair out when a drunk man was thrown out of a nearby bar.

And he must have gotten into a bar brawl, because… I could smell his blood from here.

"Bad," Scarlet scolded without conviction.

"Yes, it is!" Rene screamed as I started walking towards him in a trance-like state.

"Not really. It'll be good for her if she starts drinking human blood again." Scarlet was smiling.

The man was unattractive, short, acne ridden, and greasy blonde hair that was sticking to his forehead and getting into his eyes. On top of that, he was drunk. The perfect target who wouldn't even be able to remember anything.

He glanced over when he heard footsteps approaching, grinning like a fool. But his jaw dropped when he actually saw me, in a black halter dress with different types of multi-coloured flowers printed on it. Dang, I must've looked hot.

"Why, hello there," he slurred, trying to be flirtatious.

That stopped when my eyes came into light.

"Whoa, you must be a freak or somethin'!" He laughed, slapping his knee. "Your eyes're all red and glowin'!"

My mind was a blank white, only focused on the mouth-watering smell and the crimson streaming from his forehead. My mouth shuddered open, fangs elongated and looking like a snake's.

I felt like I had to remember something… but I didn't know what.

-Su-

"It's midnight," I sighed, riding on my black cat friend's back. "Aileen must have fed by now. Ha ha, she looks so scary when she does…"

The black cat mewed comfortingly back at me. I gently patted his head, deciding to just call him Mister Ikuto. It's not like he would ever know.

We were trying to find our way back to Larkin, travelling through some kind of forest. I was worried about wild animals, so I decided that we needed to find shelter, and soon. It was like the second I decided this, city lights slowly began illuminating the entrance of the forest.

"FULL SPEED AHEAD!" I yelled at Mister Ikuto. The cat jumped, bucked like a horse, then was bolting off towards the lights.

Sure enough, there was a sign above us that read _Welcome to Larkin. _I was squealing with joy and relief, about ready to totally collapse. But I made the kitten push on just a bit more, until we found a park to rest in or something. Granted, we may be in the right city, but I had no idea how to get to Aileen's from here. I should have though this through. Maybe I was really flighty…

It took a while to locate our way through the city, picking our way through alleys and ghettos. But we finally found a nice park, with a convenient burrow carved in the bottom of a tree. Mister Ikuto purred as he snuggled in nicely, and I swear that I could have been purring too as I snuggled into his warm fur. I missed Aileen. Though she could be mean sometimes, she was my owner, and my heart ached for her. She was a good person inside, but she was very… lonely.

She pretended to be so strong, not allowing anyone to see her tears. That night, snuggled in a lost cat's fur, I prayed for the first time. I prayed that someone would come along and melt the ice that had consumed my owner's heart for years.

I felt so warm as the sun streamed into the burrow, stretching easily and comfortably. Mister Ikuto's fur was so soft that I totally felt like I could sleep there forever.

But the moment of peace didn't last long since I saw an X Egg hop by.

"AHHHHH!" I screamed, startling my kitty companion awake again. "Oh my, Mister Ikuto, after that egg, please!"

Mister Ikuto looked confused by the way I addressed him, but nonetheless, he stretched himself out and dug his claws in the ground for a moment. Then, leaving the present behind and forgotten, he darted off after the X Egg.

It hopped from here to there, confusing Mister Ikuto and making him flinch and trip many times. But finally, it stopped on a gazebo, right on the top step. With relief written all over my face, we slowly began to approach it so we didn't scare it away. I had no idea what we were going to do with it; maybe we could just hold it captive until I found Aileen again.

That plan went down the drain when a phantom cat claw snatched it from where it rested, leading back to the real Mister Ikuto.

Oh, DAGNABBIT!

"You're…" I gasped, shaking like a mental patient. Mister Ikuto was strong and experienced. And Aileen wasn't here. I was…alone.

…No. I wasn't alone. Even if she wasn't right next to me…

Aileen was with me!

"What are you doing with that X Egg?!" I demanded, steeling myself up. "Give it back!"

His Guardian Character poked out of his hair, staring at me with a dropped jaw. "You still haven't found your way back to her? After that big show last night?"

"Huh?"

"Um, nothing."

Mister Ikuto was quiet for a while, then he whispered something to himself. From where I was, it sounded like… "She's still out there alone…?"

"Regardless! What do you plan on doing with the egg?! Give it back!"

Mister Ikuto clenched his hand into a fist, the cat claw reappearing again. "Don't get in our way."

"Ikuto, what are you doing?" Called a female voice from just behind him.

And I thought that this situation couldn't get any worse. I was totally wrong when I saw Utau Hoshina materialize behind Mister Ikuto, smirking like the battle had already been won. "Why are you even wasting your time on something as weak as that?"

Mister Ikuto closed his eyes, a flash of irritation playing across his features. But he lowered his fist slowly, undoing his Character Change.

"We're going to break it," Utau laughed cruelly, answering my earlier question.

"Why?! Why would you destroy someone's dreams like that?!" I demanded, tears budding in my eyes.

She jerked her head up, trying to look haughty. "Eggs with an X on them _deserve _to be broken, especially since people are too weak to keep their dreams alive."

I think I recalled Aileen saying something similar to that once, and I realized how much these two were alike. Maybe if I used Aileen as a reference, she would at least hesitate for a bit.

"So what?" I yelled, my tears finally escaping and freely rolling down my cheeks. "That doesn't matter! Despite all of the pain and suffering she's been through, Aileen puts herself up against terrible people like you to save other's dreams! SHE WON'T LET THEIR DREAMS BE TORN AWAY LIKE HER'S WERE!"

Both Miss Utau and Mister Ikuto seemed shocked into a moment of silence, making me take pride in myself for accomplishing my goal. Miss Utau snapped out of it first, while Mister Ikuto seemed to actually be reflecting on something.

"You're Aileen Howard's Guardian Character?" She purred, her mouth stretching into a devilish grin. "All the more reason to destroy you with the X Egg!" She held her palm out to me, sparks drawing into it like mini fireworks.

After that, it was like everything went into slow motion. Miss Utau fired her attack at me, Mister Ikuto called at her to stop, and I braced myself for the oncoming pain, automatically losing this round.

But the pain never came.

I opened my eyes that I had squeezed shut, only to suck in a gasp at who was in front of me.

"AILEEN!"

-Aileen-

I drew in a deep breath, trying to simmer down the sizzling that Utau's attack left on my skin. I looked pretty crispy, and Su gasped at how banged up I looked. As if that wasn't enough, I got quite the glare from Utau, and… a slightly panicked look from Ikuto.

Okay, seriously, was he an enemy or ally?

"What happened to you?" Su demanded from behind me. "How did you find me?!"

Truth be told, I heard her voice in my head just a bit ago, saying that I was with her. It was like a trigger that gave off her location, and since I was already back in town, I immediately came in the direction I could sense Su in. As for my injuries, which consisted of many cuts and bruises, were courtesy of my little expedition to Port Serafina last night without taking any blood baggies. I hurt myself repeatedly, throwing myself against brick, cutting myself, et cetera, to try and focus more on the pain than the Hunger. Granted, it made me feel disgusted and gave me the ickies, but it was worth it so I didn't have to worry about hurting anyone. Even ugly bar guy got away.

But right now, that didn't matter.

"It doesn't matter," I repeated out loud to Su, taking her tiny frame in my hand and hugging her to my chest. "All that matters is that you're safe."

Su shuddered for a moment, then started bawling her eyes out, blubbering about how she was so scared and how she swore that she'd never go off on her own again. I was so relieved and glad that I didn't care that we were in the presence of enemies; I just let Su get it all out,

But I pulled away quickly, focused on the X Egg that Utau had taken into her hand. "Ready?" I asked Su.

She wiped away her tears, replacing them with a grin. "Let's do it!"

"My Own Heart: Unlock!"

The Character Transformation was the same as all the previous times, except for the title. "Character Transformation: Dark Clover!"

The outfit was definitely different, too. It looked like a sexy maid Halloween costume, with a short black skirt, corseted apron, and sleeves that fell way off the shoulders. Fabric garters were around both my thighs, and a corseted velvet choker was tied around my neck. On my head was a maid headband, a giant dark green broken clover clashing like Christmas against my hair, which was tied up in high twin pigtails. Thank God that I had white thigh high socks on; I don't know what I'd do if way too much skin was revealed _yet again. _

"Hand over the egg!" I called to Utau, who reared back and cussed.

I summoned my item from within myself, and a giant kitchen knife with a mighty blade appeared in my dominant hand. Lovely. "Whirlwind Slash!"

Holing my arm high above my head, I spun my knife around a few times, until the wind around it was being manipulated. Then I controlled it to do my bidding, sending it towards them like a mini tornado. Utau and Ikuto both had to get out of there as quickly as they could, leaving the X Egg behind to save themselves.

Tiny green sparks started firing in the whirlwind, surrounding the X Egg and… purifying it! Well, that was easier than previous times!

The egg bopped in place for a bit before flying off to find its owner, and I let my Transformation come undone. Ikuto and Utau were nowhere to be seen, leaving me alone to have my reunion with Su.

There was some scolding, definitely, and we had to go back to get her present for the twins that she dropped inside a tree burrow. She was hanging out with a lost cat, and lucky for it, I recognized the scent. I dropped it off at that creep's house that tried to kiss me once, not even turning to look back at their jolly reunion.

At their birthday party, the twins were overjoyed with their gifts from me and the little people. They swore that they would never take their necklaces off, and I believed them all the way since on top of being telepaths, they were also prophets.

That night I had so many baggies that it wasn't even funny. Like seriously, I could've been drowning in blood. But it was a huge relief, and it sloshed around in my stomach warmly.

I couldn't imagine life without my Guardian Characters now. I looked forward to what each day would bring, something that I have never experienced before. Right now, I'd be willing to wager that I was the happiest Vampire in the world.

But little did I know that it would change just the very next day, when something was revealed to me that made me want to literally strangle anyone I could get my hands on.

_**I want to sincerely apologize for uploading so late; I just went into high school and have all advanced classes, so I have homework every day and can barely even think about writing! But I did it, and I'm proud of doing it at all. The next chapter is one that some people might have been looking forward to, the one where they go to the beach. Aileen keeps insisting to herself that Nadeshiko is a lesbian, Tadase reveals his Dark Heart confession, which surprisingly made AILEEN AND KUKAI BECOME CLOSER!?**_

_**The pair: "WHAT?!"**_

_**Crimrose4all: "Ya heard me. You two start to get, you know, a bit interested in each other,"**_

_**Kukai: "That is ridiculous. Why would I even think about such a dense person as this?"**_

_**Aileen: "*Clucks her tongue disapprovingly* Are you trying to make me some sort of slut?"**_

_**Crimrose4all: *Silence***_

_**Aileen: "Oh, you bitch."**_

_**In case you were wondering, the Guardian's hometown, Larkin, and Port Serafina were completely made up for this story. Also, the name of the park they keep appearing at is Rosetta Garden, since it has the most vibrant and expansive rose bushes for miles, which are as red as Aileen's hair.**_

_**Something interesting that happens in the next chapter that you might want to know: This is where Kukai's nickname for Aileen, Chicken Nugget, comes in.**_

_**Aileen: "AW, HELL NO!"**_


	11. Chapter 11

_**Hello, every single awesome person that is reading this right now! I just wanted to let everyone know how much I appreciate you reading my work. I'd love to hear any comments about it, or critiques, I'm pretty much open to anything. ALSO. If you have time while waiting for updates from your favourite story (not necessarily this one, of course) I'd love it if you went to my profile, and clicked on my website to start reading my original novel, Intoxicated from the Azure Rose Chronicles. Characters from that story will be appearing in GC later on, so it's actually a bit recommended. But you can do whatever you want to (quoting Lulu)! **_

_**Honestly, I cannot wait until Kukai starts calling my heroine Chicken Nugget. I think it is one of the most random nicknames ever, which is why I'm very excited. And LATER, a certain someone starts calling her Firetruck 'cause of the hair. I enjoy torturing her so much.**_

_**Aileen: "Firetruck? Are you fucking kidding me?"**_

_**Crimrose4all: "The person who calls you that amuses me greatly."**_

_**Aileen: "*Narrows eyes* Who is it?"**_

_**Crimrose4all: *Smiles mischievously***_

_**Aileen: "Seriously!"**_

_**Disclaimer: I do not own Shugo Chara.**_

_**Aileen: "I am just… sick of you, man."**_

Chapter XI: A Dark Confession

"This is so stupid."

Kukai laughed at my pessimistic statement, stretching his arms high above his head and yawning. "No, it'll be fun. I only get to see my gramps every now and then, and besides, this spring is more like an early summer."

My fists clenched the steering wheel so tightly that my knuckles began to turn white. I didn't want to do this. This was dangerous. For everyone.

Taking me by surprise, Tadase put his hand over my right, the one closest to him in the passenger seat. "It'll be fun. Ease your grip or you'll hurt yourself." My heart was pounding so hard that my _chest _hurt, thanks. Especially with the smile he was giving me.

"TADASE, NO! AILEEN WILL GET US INTO AN ACCIDENT!" Yaya screamed from the backseat.

I shrugged Tadase's hand off, flustered. "Shut up. I will not."

"Your car is awesome!" Kukai yelled at me and out the window. "It's going so freaking fast!"

"Get your body back inside it or I'm swerving your ass outta here." He quickly pulled his body back in again. "Yaya, don't eat cookies while lounging in the backseat."

"You're no fun," she pouted, sitting up.

"It feels strange," Nadeshiko murmured. "We're in the same grade, but you're much older and even own a car."

I shrugged. "It's weird to be older than everyone else." And a wolf in sheep's clothing, but no one had to know that. "Hey, Kukai."

"Mmm?"

"Daichi's attached to one of my wipers."

"Oh shit, what?!"

Sure enough, Daichi was holding onto my right wiper so he wouldn't be blown away, looking like he was having the time of his life.

Kukai began laughing his ass off, the complete contrary of how worried I was about Su when she got lost.

"Is someone going to help him?" Ran asked while shaking her head in dismay from her place on the center console.

"I'm not slowing down," I warned while shaking my head back at her. "Besides, we're almost there."

Miki cocked her to the side. "How did he get out there in the first place?"

"Only God Knows."

I rounded a bend on the highway just then, and our destination came into view. A big sign decorated with multi-coloured sea shells read "Tigerstrike Beach: Hotels and Villas". The beach was my own personal nightmare. All day by the sun and hundreds of humans? When they asked, I immediately declined the invitation.

But, as I just recently learned, Kukai lied and said that it was a training camp for the Guardians, and it was mandatory. In truth, he just wanted to go to his grandpa's beach house to fool around, much to my dismay.

In conclusion, I was pissed.

"Don't be such a sourpuss," Kukai scolded. "It'll be so much fun, you'll see."

I sighed. "You know I don't like the sun."

"This is going to change your mind."

I highly doubted that.

All of the beach came into view, the white sand, green grass, crystal blue waters, and large villas with many windows. People dotted the place like ants, and I was already starting to consider turning around and ditching them here.

Like he knew what I was thinking, Kukai said, "Don't even think about it."

"Curses, foiled again," I groaned.

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We were only on the beach for five minutes, and Yaya was already frolicking like a fool.

I shook my head in dismay, my ponytailed hair whipping around me. The looks Kukai gave me every now and then suddenly made me _very aware _that he was a human teenager. The thought made me want to laugh, yet also cover myself in embarrassment.

Tadase, as usual, looked blissfully unaware. For yet another moment, I seriously wondered if he was gay.

"Aren't you coming swimming?" I asked Nadeshiko while bending over, who was fully clothed and under her beach umbrella.

She looked up at me, flushed at what she saw, then quickly looked away again. "Um. No, my skin's really sensitive."

There was a few moments of awkward silence, broken when I sat beside her and put my hand on her arm comfortingly with a sympathetic look on my face. "It's okay," I told her seriously, making her look confused. "Just be true to yourself."

For whatever reason, that got Temari laughing again.

"YOU RETARDS!" Kukai suddenly yelled at us, making me fall over while covering my ears. "The beach is all about having the time of your lives in the warm weather! Howard, I admit that you look _very _distracting-" That made me raise my eyebrows "-but you have to get out and have some fun!"

I groaned loudly. "I don't like the sun one bit. We've discussed this."

"You don't feel it as much when you're in the water. Plus, you're wearing sunscreen. I can smell it."

"That last part made you sound like a creeper."

"Let's go!" He suddenly took my hand, then, making a flush creep through my entire body. I had to admit, it was probably from all the sports, but Kukai was very well built. Urk, I shouldn't be thinking about those things…

"Yaya, you coming swimming?" Kukai asked her.

She shamefully held up a floatie. "Not without this, I'm not." She glanced at our connected hands, then raised her eyebrows mischievously. "Is the sweet air of spring inspiring you two?"

"What? No," Kukai said, not even having to think about it. I think I felt a bit insulted.

"I'm coming," Tadase chimed in. Yeah, he didn't look as manly as Kukai, but he was a boy, nonetheless. That made me get even redder. I was already loathing this.

Thinking about shirtless guys that I knew, that suddenly made me think of a certain enemy/ally (?).

Damn it, I'm such a female perv!

"Aileen, I know you're busy self-loathing over there, but let's get swimming!"

I dragged myself over, thinking about how terrible this day was going to be.

-Ikuto-

"What a great idea," Sanjo sighed contentedly, looking out the window of the hotel, "A beach concert! This will definitely increase your popularity even more Utau."

Utau sighed, resting her chin on her palm. "I guess so."

I folded my arms behind my head and leaned back in my chair, fully prepared to ignore Sanjo's ideas and annoying orders. I was getting sick of this. Not only was I consistently chained to people that did nothing but piss me off, I also was sent to the beach with these two despite my hatred of it.

Looking out the window to distract myself, I suddenly saw some very familiar figures standing on the beach, looking like they were arguing. One of those figures looked exactly like Aileen, her hair tied up in a high ponytail, clad in a black and red lace bikini.

I turned away, putting a palm to my forehead.

"Ikuto?" Utau asked from across from me. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," I sighed. "I'm just fifty percent sure that I'm hallucinating about something."

She cocked her head to the side. "What's the other fifty percent?"

"Wishful thinking."

-Aileen-

"Eat my wake, loser!" I yelled at Kukai, Character Changed with Ran and surfing some decent waves. I had never surfed before; Ran saw a board, then suddenly I was no longer in control of what I was doing. Next thing I knew, I was on the water and challenging Kukai to a surf contest. I was terrified.

"Just watch this!" Kukai swerved so he was right next to me, grinning like a fool.

"_RAN I WANNA GET DOWN I AM FREAKING OUT!" _I yelled at her in my head, panicking so much that I felt like my brain would explode.

"_Oh calm down!" _She laughed at me. _"Aren't you having fun?"_

"_NO!"_

Okay, I will admit, it was a little fun to have the wind flowing all around me, the water rushing beneath me, and trying y best to keep my balance. But the constant fear that I was going to fall outweighed all of those facts.

Finally on the surface, Ran released me from my Chara Change and left me curled in on myself in the sand. Kukai was laughing at me, and I was really beginning to contemplate punching him in the face.

"Hey, guys," Nadeshiko said, coming out from under her umbrella to point at something nearby. "Doesn't that look like fun?"

It looked like hell to me. It was a sand art contest, with many humans basking and sweating in the sunlight as they worked on some very unique (or fucked up) sculptures. The prize was a package of fireworks, and I doubted that I should enter, because if we ended up winning I would use them for my own personal gain.

But contrary to that thought, Yaya yelled, "Oh, that looks so fun! Let's enter!"

Tadase smiled. "I don't see why not."

"I don't want to," I growled, putting on black sunglasses.

"Come on, Aileen," Kukai teased. "This will be your 'Guardian Activity'."

"I hate you so much."

"I think it'll be fun," Nadeshiko giggled, and I was having a hard time saying no to her.

Add that on to Tadase's "Please, Miss Howard?" and I had no damn choice but to enter.

After entering, we searched for a bit and found a nice empty spot with decently damp sand. Kukai started assigning everyone a certain part, leaving me to work on the castle gates.

"Umm," Miki said, examining my work. "Aileen, doesn't that look a bit…"

"Boring?" Su offered. Miki nodded at her.

My gates were nothing special, just a completely smooth noodle-like shape. Nothing special about it. I didn't want to put in too much effort, and besides, their… 'creativity' would make up for it.

"I'm going to make a castle worthy for a prince!" Pepe yelled. Every one of us turned slowly to glare at her.

Except Tadase.

"FIT FOR A PRINCE? HA! THIS CASTLE WILL BE FIT FOR A KING SUCH AS I!" He yelled, laughing manically. I shook my head at him, having my image of him shattered yet again.

"Here," Nadeshiko said suddenly from behind me. She laid a shirt sleeved sweater around me, her face slightly flushed. "A bunch of guys over there were looking at you…"

Making a sound of disgust deep in my throat, I turned around to pat her hand supportively. "I don't care about them. Thank you for being a good _friend_." Friend-zoned.

But she just looked confused, then was distracted with suggestions for the rook from Temari, who was holding in laughter _again. _Seriously, what was I doing that was so funny?

"At least add some sort of design," Ran sighed, taking me back to my horridly plain gate.

"Like what?"

"Maybe you could put some roses and vines on it," Scarlet suggested.

I considered, then shrugged. "I guess so. That doesn't seem so bad."

So I started my little roses and vine pattern, kind of letting my mind wander as I worked on it. This day was actually turning out to be more fun than I thought it would be. Surrounded by the laughter of my friends, and the water on my skin (which felt so weird since it never felt cold to me), and now the chance to light up some fireworks?... When it came to that, I actually really hoped that we would win this contest. I never lit fireworks or even seen them before, so that would make this entire trip worthwhile.

My reverie was broken when I heard a very small voice screaming for help.

The first thought that flitted through my head was, _oh shit, now I really am hearing the voices!_. But then I realized that it was coming from a child, so far out in the water that only someone with super hearing like me could hear him. And he was drowning.

Instantly, I threw off my sunglasses and sweater, startling the Guardians and my Charas.

"Aileen, where are you going?" Tadase asked, tilting his head to the side. I didn't answer; just beelined for the water.

Once I was in and deep enough, I started swimming at my maximum speed, creating my own little wake. I felt the water around me, flowing in my hair and around my body, and focused on it.

_Oh, water, flowing with your surroundings, push a drowning being up from your depths!_

The water seemed to go with the flow, and began pushing the little boy up from its grasp. He was coughing and sputtering, and I finally reached him just in time. I put him on my back gently, then started zooming back to shore before he fell of and the whole thing started over again.

We finally reached the shore without incident, and I grabbed the nearest towel to wrap around him as onlookers gathered around us. He was breathing hard and coughing up water, and I gently patted his back to make sure he wouldn't choke on it.

"All better?" I asked him. Very weakly, he nodded.

"Billy!" Yelled a middle-aged woman, pushing through the crowd. By the panicked look on her face, I guessed that this was his mother. "Oh, I was so worried! Please don't ever go off on your own again!"

The boy- Billy- nodded. Then he turned to me, fully recovered, and smiled. "Thank you for saving me, miss."

I smiled at him and mussed his hair as his mother hugged him to her chest. "No problem. Stay out of deep water, kid. It has a mind of its own."

As he and his mother walked away, he would never know the truth of my words.

"Aileen, that was awesome!" Yaya screamed in my ear, making me want to faint. "We were so worried, with you just going off like that, then there was all this _sploosh! _Then you were swimming so fast, then you totally just scooped him right out of there-"

"Yaya, shut up or I'm throwing you in there." She clamped her mouth shut.

"But seriously," Tadase said, his Character Change thankfully undone. "How did you hear him? Not even the lifeguards noticed him."

Awkward silence followed, everyone staring at me with these curious looks. I sighed, then said, "I guess I was just… so focused on silence that I heard it."

Tadase nodded. "That makes sense. Regardless, you were amazing." He smiled down at me again, and my face became as red as my hair.

I suddenly felt very self-conscious, dripping wet in a tight bikini and my hair in a ponytail so it couldn't cover me. Like sensing my discomfort, Tadase handed my sweater back to me.

"Thanks," I muttered, avoiding eye contact.

Yaya heaved a huge sigh. "You just had to go and make everything awkward, huh."

She was roughly shoved off the dock in the next few seconds, floatie and all.

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"We're teenagers; of course we're going to be out late," I cussed, internally cursing Kukai's traditional grandfather for sending us to our rooms just because we were out past nine.

Kukai shrugged. "He's just worried. He's just like you; a total tsundere."

"Okay," I said sternly, slamming my suitcase shut and whirling to face him. "I am NOT a tsundere."

Everyone looked at me with withering looks.

"Whatever," I groaned, hating the injustice of this place.

Everyone went back to their individual unpacking in the gorgeous beach house. Kukai's grandfather must have been loaded or something, because this place looked like a Hollywood villa. It was an elevated white beach house, with almost every wall covered with floor-length windows that had white silk curtains blowing in the sea breeze. The flooring was all light-wood, and the wallpaper all resembled the colours of the water or sea foam. Every last bed in the numerous rooms were covered with fresh white linens, smelling like fresh lilac. Apparently this place was so big because it doubled as a cabana, and that was proven when we went downstairs to see a restaurant-like setting with counters and bars.

Even though I hated the beach, I had to admit that this was a pretty badass shack.

Right now, we were setting up in the loft, an upstairs living room that had a clear view of the downstairs and cabana. All of the couches were such a comfortable material that I didn't even know the name of, and they were the colour of pearls. Tadase and Kukai were chattering away as they unpacked on the couch, while us girls stood around the ottoman while unpacking ours.

Well, at least Nadeshiko and Yaya were. I was in a corner, unpacking my blood-in-a-bottle, trying to be inconspicuous.

Turns out that it had the opposite affect when Yaya peeked over my shoulder and cooed, "Ohhh, what's that?"

_Shit. _"Uh… it's um, er… Crystal Light?" I stuttered, forcing a grin on my face.

"Yummy!" Yaya yelled. "Can I have some?!"

"NO!" I yelled, too loudly for them to not be suspicious. "S'mine. No one else's." It was a childish excuse, but it was the best I had for now.

Yaya held in a laugh. "Come on, you're not me. Ya wannabe."

I sighed, off the hook as everyone started to laugh. "I'm going for a walk." I grabbed my leather jacket out of my suitcase and slung it over my shoulder.

"Hey now," Kukai chastised. "Gramps is already pissed, why are you adding fuel to the fire?"

I rolled my eyes at him. "Please. I can take care of myself."

Careful not to make too much noise, I creeped down the wooden stairs and out the glass sliding door. The beach was positively gorgeous when illuminated by the moon, much better than it was in the day. The sand almost seemed to glow sliver, and the waves smoothly rushed to the shore while glimmering like falling glass.

I unscrewed the cap to my bottle and gulped it down now so I wouldn't have to wake up at midnight and go searching. I poured some in the cap for Scarlet, who gulped it down greedily.

I began humming "Above Your Hand" nonchalantly, my Charas happily playing in the sand when I stopped a far distance away from the beach house. I got that creepy 'I'm being watched" feeling, and cast a quick surreptitious glance around before concluding that I was finally going off the deep end.

"Aileen, look!" Ran giggled, gesturing flippantly to a small sculpture Miki was working on.

I looked over at it, then had to resist the urge to spew my blood everywhere. I don't know what it looked like, Pedobear? Whatever it was, it looked like a strange cross between a bear and a sea horse… and maybe a Simpson's Character.

"And you're supposed to be artistic?" I snickered.

Miki gave us a peculiar look. "Yes? It's abstract."

"_That _much is obvious."

As they continued to argue about Miki's… 'abstract', I kept idly sipping out of my bottle. It was odd how much my life had changed, but the fact that I still drank blood like this remained the same. I would always be a monster to humans, no matter how much I tried to avoid it. Even though I was here with the Guardians like this, if they found out what I was, there was no doubt in my mind that they'd whip out the stakes and torches.

I let myself fall into the sand and sigh, discarding my now empty bottle. Then, very softly, I started singing "Above Your Hand" out loud, trying to distract myself away from all of my unfair thoughts.

"_If I could have just one wish come true, I'd want to be a flower shaking in the palm of your hand, I've finally begun to see how beautiful this world is, and even if I ended up losing you, I'd find you again, so when you wake up, I'll be by your side…"_

"That's a beautiful song," someone's voice said from above me, and I jolted up, shocked to see Tadase standing nearby.

"Oh, it's you," I sighed, relieved that it wasn't some creeper. "Did you need something?"

He smiled. "I thought that no matter who she was, I shouldn't let a girl walk alone at night."

My face flushed. I was starting to like the way how he treated me like an actual girl, versus a demon superior, or a cold and rude chick. It was a bit annoying, but… I didn't mind it that much.

"Do you want to go on a walk… with me?" He asked shyly, holding out a hand to help me up.

I frowned, not wanting to express the pleasure I was feeling. "I guess." I took his hand, and was shocked at his reaction. He didn't flinch away. Because he was used to the temperature by now.

I smiled earnestly, happy for just one moment by the shining moon and glimmering waves.

A light breeze stirred the white strapless dress on me, and Tadase glanced over, still holding my hand. "Are you cold?"

I shook my head. "Don't worry about that."

Tadase began leading us through a forest that was close by, mostly to look at the scenery before we went back inside. Little did he know that I was getting severely freaked out, surrounded by darkness and having the knowledge that actual _things _lurked within any sort of dark they could get. I shuddered, and Tadase stopped walking to smile back at me.

"Don't be scared," he said, gripping my hand tightly. "I'm here with you."

Those words shook me to my core, the words I had wanted to hear for so long. And they came from Tadase's mouth. I seriously started rethinking my view of him. Maybe he was a totally sincere person. Maybe… I could trust him.

The moment was ruined when a tortured cat's meow echoed throughout the woods, and something slid up my back. I screamed and threw myself at Tadase to get away from it, not paying attention to us falling in a heap to the ground.

As soon as I couldn't feel it anymore, I realized the position we were in, then quickly apologized and scrambles away.

Tadase simply smiled and said, "It's alright." Now I was beginning to question if he even knew I was a girl yet again.

_Wait. Didn't he say he had a girl he liked before? _Now I had to know who is was. Who Tadase actually saw as a female.

As we got up and started walking again, I cleared my throat to get his attention. "Um… well, before you said you had a girl you liked." He cocked his head to the side, confused. "I mean, during the Guardian's Assembly. When I… you know…"

"Oh!" He exclaimed, finally remembering and sparing me any more embarrassment. Then, much to my dismay, he had the audacity to chuckle. "Let me show you."

He pulled a slip of paper out of his shorts' pocket, and it was a picture of what looked like a young him and a big, shaggy white dog. "Her name was Betty," he said fondly, but heartbrokenly. "She was with my family even before I was born. She was the first girl I realized I loved."

All I could do was stare. He… fell in love with a _dog? _

"But she passed away two years ago," he sighed, putting the picture back. "And I had to move on."

He suddenly had to swallow, then, and it was my turn to cock my head to the side. "What's up?"

"Um, well, you see," he stuttered, seeming to search for the appropriate words. "I already fell for someone."

That got my eyebrows raised. "Oh, really."

"Yes. She's beautiful, energetic, and I have never seen a girl like her before." He turned to gaze at me, and my heart did strange little flip. He couldn't mean… "We're both Guardians, so I thought that I should just ignore those feelings, but now I can't hold them back."

He got closer to me, and it was like I was totally frozen to the spot. His face was very red, matching mine perfectly. "It was the first time I had ever seen anyone so dazzling and so bright. Someone like…"

Oh my God-

"Dark Heart!" He yelled, squeezing his eyes shut in embarrassment.

Everything in the forest suddenly got very quiet, Tadase totally still and his eyes still squeezed shut. Then everything seemed to just happen in a blur. I Character Changed with Su without her permission, drew out my giant kitchen knife, and held it high above my head. The other Guardians burst out of some bushes and tackled me to the ground before I could do anything at all, Tadase completely oblivious.

"LET ME AT HIM!" I hissed, totally appalled by his grotesque confession.

"Aileen, he doesn't know!" Kukai said in Tadase's defense. "He's very new to this sort of stuff!"

"YOU THINK I CARE?!"

"This is no reason to hold a blade over his head!"

"YOU DON'T KNOW ME AT ALL!"

I couldn't believe what had just happened. Tadase said he loved a dog, rejected my confession (?), then suddenly said we loved a different part of me?! That was not going to fly!

"When did you guys get here?" Tadase demanded, finally opening his eyes in total embarrassment. Either he was blind or stupid, because he somehow managed to ignore the scene before him, Kukai holding me in a headlock, then Yaya and Nadeshiko binding each of my legs.

"I think we should call it a night," Kukai sighed, dragging me off by my collar, my furious protests fading into the night along with my newfound respect for Tadase Hotori.

-Ikuto-

"Yoru, where were you?" I asked as he floated up to where I was leaning against the railing of the boardwalk. "Utau's concert ended already, and she had to get the X Eggs since you were MIA."

"Suh… sorry," he snickered, laughing so hard he barely seemed to be able to breathe.

I raised my eyebrows. "What's so funny?"

"Do you remember when you saw Aileen on the beach earlier than got upset when she and the Kiddie King walked off together?"

"No. I never got upset."

I just happened to be on the boardwalk aimlessly, staring out at the night sky and its contrasting partner the moon, when Aileen suddenly appeared and began walking on the beach with her Characters. I kept my distance, realizing that earlier was not a teenage fantasy, and just minded my own business. I could hear her singing a sad song from where I was, and it was like I couldn't get enough of her pretty voice. I actually considered going down there to tease her.

But then Tadase swept her away by the hand.

I wasn't upset. At least, I didn't think so…

"Well, anyway," Yoru continued. "I decided to play a little prank on them." He started laughing all over again and I could barely make out what he was saying. "They were in the forest… then I meowed to freak them out and ducked into Aileen's shirt… she flipped… then the Kiddie King just made her night terrible…"

My interest peaked. "What did he do?"

Yoru's laughter burst out so much that I had to wait a few beats for his response. "He said that he loved her…" Shock contorted my features. "Wait, wait, let me finish! He said her loved her… Character Transformed self!" And then the giggle bug returned, leaving me in stunned silence.

Tadase said that? I knew he was a kid, but I never thought he could be so… dense and inconsiderate. Aileen must have been so pissed.

"How'd Aileen react?" I asked out of curiosity.

"She Character Changed with the green one and pulled out her giant kitchen knife on him, but the Guardians stopped her before she chopped his head off." He wiped tears from his eyes. "Ah, that was the best night ever."

A chuckled escaped me. So she was royally pissed. Pissed enough that she pulled a damn knife on him. I had to remind myself not to screw with her that much, and even if I did, I doubted that she'd have the same reaction with me, since I seem to embarrass her more than Tadase does.

Wait a minute… Was I viewing him as _competition?_ That was ridiculous. What was the matter with me?

I rested my elbows on the white wooden railing, then put my face in my hands. There used to be a routine in my life, one that I loathed with all my might, but now everything has changed after I met her. It was like everything was bright and passionate, just like her mane of red hair.

But I still couldn't shake that feeling that there was something up with her. With her insane speed, her issues with coughing up blood, among other things. I had no idea what to even think, so I guessed that it was best to be left alone.

However, that water bottle full of red liquid she had was very disconcerting…

-Aileen-

"Aileen, just because you're mad at the King doesn't mean you have to ruin it for everyone else," Kukai chastised.

Very rudely, I ignored him, continuing my mission of majorly deforming my once… 'elegant' gate. Now it looked more like one of those underwater sea things from SpongeBob. This was the only harmless way I could think of to vent my anger, so they were getting off lucky.

I just couldn't believe that he pulled such a dick-head move. My chest kept on aching painfully, and I had the urge to burrow in the sand and hide. I felt… humiliated.

"You still have us!" Su offered with a big smiled. I pretended to turn around and fake cry, making her do her angry 'puff up like a blowfish' thing.

Just then, I felt something fall on top of my head. I glanced up with narrowed eyes to see a seagull circling above me, and my mouth opened wide in horror. Full of giggles, Kkai inched over and plucked whatever it was off my head.

Then instantly began laughing. "It's a chicken nugget!" He chortled.

"What! How does that even work?!"

"From now on, I'm calling you Chicken Nugget," he snickered while flicking the deep fried poultry away. "Because of this and because you're so short."

"No, you won't," I growled ferociously.

His ginger eyebrows rose in a challenge. "I think I will."

"Before you two kill each other," Nadeshiko interjected with a grin. "We are done our sculpture!"

As all of us loomed over our collaborative effort, we all began to laugh. It was so out of synch, with my SpongeBob gates, Kukai's giant soccer balls, Nadeshiko's Japanese-style roof, Yaya's _really random _ribbons, and Tadase's two hands grasping the earth to depict "The world is in my hands". One word to describe our sculpture?

…Erm… Odd. Yeah, odd would do. This wasn't even a sculpture; this was an array of randomness put together on one spot.

Due to that fact, we ended up only winning the participation award, and we all thought that we deserved it. As Yaya pouted about it while Tadase held it, I glared at him from where I stood, unwilling to forgive him any time in the near future.

I suddenly felt something on my head again, and I whirled around to growl at it. But it was just Kukai, patting my head like I was a child that needed comforting.

"It's okay," he said earnestly. "He didn't mean any harm."

I looked to the ground. "That doesn't mean that it won't hurt."

Yet again, I looked out to the quickly setting sun, making my hair glow an odd red. My face was void of any emotion as I stood by Kukai's side, thinking that I shouldn't even care if Tadase liked me or not at all. I was a demon, he was a human. Everyone here was a human.

I just didn't belong. I'm fully aware that I kept contradicting myself, but I couldn't help it.

"Looks like you kids didn't win," a gruff voice suddenly said from behind us. We all turned to see Kukai's grandfather, a tall man with more wrinkles than hair that always seemed to wear some Japanese robes. He coughed awkwardly. "At least you put your best effort into it. Which is why…" He pulled out a package of something out from behind his back, grinning. "I bought you these."

It was a large pack of an array of fireworks, making us explode just like them. I actually got to see my first fireworks! I was so excited, wanting to know if the real thing met my expectations that I saw in pictures.

We had to wait until it was dark, then we trekked down to the beach so Kukai's grandpa could light them off. He got us some sparklers, too, and mine was lit first. I was totally shocked at the sight. It looked like sparks of magic all emanating from one thin stick, and it smelt very funny. Then when the actual thing came, I couldn't believe my eyes.

Each and every one was different, a different kind of flower exploding in the sky. One looked like a prickly purple porcupine, another like a blooming pink lotus blossom, then my favourite, an explosion of red that looked like a spark cracked off a flaming whip.

It was stunning. I had never even dreamed of something like this. Other people were gathering in the distance, gazing at them in awe. Now I knew what Katy Perry flipping meant after all this time. They lit up the dark night sky with an array of colours, saving humans from the darkness with joy and colours.

I knew that I would treasure this moment forever, standing beside the Guardians' sides with ignited sparklers, our Charas all holding their own since they were fairly light and flailing them about like little kids.

I couldn't contain my bubbles of giddy laughter, positively enthralled by everything. This was my first time at the beach with friends, the first time I had (kind of) been confessed to, and the first time I saw explosions of light within the darkest of nights. For one fleeting moment, I allowed myself to think that this moment would be able to last forever.

But the moment was broken when my cell phone starting ringing to the tone of 'Butterfly On Your Right Shoulder', which was the twins' tone. Curious, I stepped away from the group just to the entrance of the forest, mostly because it was probably private and the explosions were making me go deaf.

"Hello?" I asked chipperly.

"Sister," Sonata quipped, obviously trying to make things quick. "We just…"

"Had a vision," Aria cut in from what sounded like right beside her.

My ears instantly fully tuned in, drowning out the sounds of the night hustle and bustle. "What was it about?"

"You," the both said at once, starting to talk full blown simultaneously. "Danger… Disaster… Fear… Shattered… Stay away from the black cat! Stay away from the black cat!"

I was going to try to get more information from them. What the hell? What was the 'black cat'? What was with this prophecy?

But the only sound I could hear was the dial tone, fading away with the dying colours in the night.

_**I am so RELIEVED to be done this chapter. I just decided to take a notebook with me and work on this by hand when I had free time in classes, so updates should still be slow, but not as slow. **_

_**So yeah, I guess I kind of left you with a cliff hanger for the next chapter. We all know very well who this black cat is, but Aileen never learned his nickname. Why does she have to stay away from him? Why were so many horrible emotions named off?**_

_**I'll give you a hint: Next chapter, something happens between them that changes EVERYTHING. **_

_**Aileen: "I wish that you'd stop being so mysterious. What exactly happens?"**_

_**Crimrose4all: "*Shrugs hopelessly* You'll know soon enough. I'll just say this: WORK ON YOUR ANGERMANAGEMENT ISSUES."**_

_**Please leave a review and definitely look forward to Chapter XII: Two Beats In The Darkness!**_


	12. Chapter 12

_**Hello again, everybody! Back for another chapter, and this one's a big one! Not necessarily length wise, but for the storyline. It involves deep emotion, questions of loyalty, and last but not least, truths are brought from the world of darkness to light. Translation: SHIT'S GONNA GO DOWN.**_

_**Aileen: "What happens now?"**_

_**Crimrose4all: "You are such a freaking idiot."**_

_**Aileen: ?!**_

_**Crimrose4all: "It's all your fault. You're the one making your own life more complicated than it needs to be."**_

_**Aileen: "Wh-what! I don't have the slightest clue what you're talking about!"**_

_**Disclaimer: I do not own Shugo Chara.**_

Chapter XII: Two Beats In The Darkness

"Shit, not here either," I groaned, sitting back and letting the shrub's leaves fall back into place. "How hard can it be to just find a werewolf?"

Ran shrugged. "No clue; I've never really hunted one before."

"Damn Flesh Eaters," Scarlet cussed. I didn't agree; just remained silent while shuffling through the bushes.

"Scarlet, listen," I said quietly. Her ears perked up a bit. "I don't want you saying stuff like that. At least, not around me."

Her eyebrows peaked.

"You're talking like we're two totally different things, but we're all demons. We're all monsters in disguise. Look at me, then look at a Flesh Eater. What differences do you see?"

"Well, let's see." I could tell she was beginning to go into rant mode. "Flesh Eaters are vile beasts that don't even think about their timing or targets; they just go and eat like savages. Whereas Blood Drinkers like yourself and the Felineye carefully stalk and plan out your targets like an actual intelligent being. You are by far more refined, and come from noble lineage."

"I was _trying _to be sensitive," I sighed. "A good leader is one that thinks of more than one part of the population. Hitler is a very bad example of that, and look what happened to him."

"Are you calling me Hitler?"

"Enough, you two!" Su screamed in our ears. "This is getting terrible!"

Everyone fell quiet for a while as I shuffled through bushes and looked in trees. Then Scarlet said, "Aileen, what do you think of the twins warning?"

I shook my head. "I don't know. I don't even have a clue who this 'black cat' is."

Scarlet cut me a look. "You're kidding right?"

"No. Who is it?"

She shook her head. "I'll let you find out on your own. But don't think of doing anything stupid in the near future, though, okay?"

"I do stupid things _because _I don't think about them, Scarlet."

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"So you guys better take care on the weekend!" Nikaidou said at the end of the day, addressing the entire class, but looking straight at me. "No wild parties!"

Some students groaned, others snorted, I kicked back in my seat and leaned on the desk behind me, earning a curious look from the guy who sat in it. Nikaidou may be somewhat stupefied, but he seemed to have the capability of being awfully foreboding. And I wanted to punch him in the mouth then make him eat his own teeth for it.

The spring day was irritatingly bright, and when the bell rang for us to go home, I glared at the sun like I could make it quake in fear. Willpower never seemed to be enough, so I sighed. Nadeshiko and Yaya had invited me to go out shopping today with them last night, and since I had nothing better to do, I accepted the invitation. They never said what they were shopping for, though. That got my eyes narrowed in suspicion.

First, I went home to strip out of my uniform and throw on a black and white short sleeved sweater dress and knee high boots, not even bothering to accessorize. I shoved my wallet in the dress's pocket, then grabbed my keys again and thumped down the stairs.

"Where are you going?" Felicia asked as I descended, eyebrows raised.

I shrugged. "Shopping."

"You hate shopping."

"Indeed I do."

"Then why go?"

The twins were also looking at me expectantly, like I was on trial. I sighed. "The… club I'm in at school asked me to."

Felicia nearly dropped her baggie. "Since when we you in a club?!"

"For, like, a month now."

She cussed and shook her head, feeling out of the loop. But before I left, I had something to ask the twins.

"About your vision," I began, stepping in front of them and the loveseat they sat on. "Do you know any details? Like when it's going to happen? Who's the 'black cat'?"

They shook their heads simultaneously. "We don't know anything."

"We just see it," Aria shrugged.

Sonata changed her position so she was looking directly into my eyes with her knees under her. "It was all very blurry, like watching a TV show through static. But we could make out certain things."

"Like you," Aria said, copying her. "You were running through a place that _seemed _like woods, but remember that it could not be accurate."

"The next thing we knew, we saw black cat ears and a cold stare." Sonata shivered.

"Then suddenly your eyes were red with fury and your fangs were bared."

"It was like…" They both shuddered. "We don't even know. But then we could feel all of your future emotions. Nothing good comes of what is supposed to happen."

"But your visions can change, right?" I asked desperately, starting to get severely creeped out. "Depending on the person's choices they make?"

They glanced at each other nervously, then shook their heads. "The visions can change. But there was something about this one."

Aria looked right into my eyes, flaming amber. "It was inevitable."

I was glad for a distraction once I got on the road, trying really hard not to ruin the shopping trip with my dark cloud of misery. What the hell could that vision mean? Black cat ears and a cold stare?

…That sounded kind of like Ikuto, now that I thought about it. His Character Change consists of black cat ears and tail, and he always seems to have a cold and distant stare. Maybe the vision was about him.

But why would it be? That douchebag was an enemy, and a demon king of sexual harassment. Why my five year old sisters would be having a vision about him was beyond me. So I decided to rule out that option for now.

I picked up Yaya first, and her loud and babyish banter totally distracted me from the vision. Whenever I asked about why we were going shopping, she'd avoid the subject, or at least try to. Immediately, I knew something suspicious was going on. The Guardians were trying to hide something from me.

When Nadeshiko joined the party, it was like Yaya's voice increased upon her entry. This was one of those moments where I wanted to take that blabber mouth of hers and rip it right off.

I pulled up in a parking lot of a Shawarma place, not actually planning to eat there but just so we could walk around downtown and go window shopping. The day was, again, uncharacteristically hot for spring, causing me to slip on dark sunglasses and seriously consider bringing a black umbrella to hide under next time, even if it made me look ridiculous.

They made me wait outside of the majority of the shops they went into, igniting my suspicion even more. It was starting to get kind of sad to see their attempts at hiding whatever they were doing. What I didn't get was why they were being so secretive.

We stumbled upon a small book store on the street corner on our escapade, and Nadeshiko said she wanted to check out books on different style of dancing. I admired her dedication to her family business; I would probably never be enthusiastic about being the Vampire Overlord.

The inside was odd, with dark wallpaper and carpet, the decorations consisting of astrological and mythological knick knacks, but it had a homey and comforting feel. There was a teenage guy with dark hair working the counter, who glanced up from the book he was reading and smiled upon our entry. I was shocked by the electric blue of his eyes and moon pale skin. Dear God, he was attractive. And _he worked at a book store! _But he was definitely a human.

I sighed in defeat.

Yaya and Nadeshiko left to check out the miniscule cultural section, leaving me with hardly any choice. Letting my shoulders sag in boredom, I let my feet lead me to the Supernatural section so I could go make fun of people's interpretations of Vampires.

At least, that was my intention. What happened was I wandered into the Supernatural section, then felt… something. It was like there was some sort of gravitational force, pulling me in to a certain shelf, where a collection of dusty and unused books were laying. But there was one that looked brand new, sticking out from the rest, and it caught my immediate attention.

That weird feeling was coming from it. From the book. Trust me, from all of the novels I'd read and TV shows I watched, I should've known better than to listen to that compelling feeling. But I tended to act on impulse and didn't think about the consequences at all. So I scooped the book up into my hands.

Then nearly dropped it. When I touched it, it was like it had burned me, almost knowing that I was inhuman. This was bizarre. All of these weird feelings coming from a book. Oh, but wait. I had just recently learned that all children had an egg in their soul. So I shrugged and warily opened the cover, which was completely pitch black with one horizontal crimson slash across it. Odd.

Despite the new exterior, the pages were cracked and yellowing, and the smell of age enveloped my nostrils as I opened the cover. Some of the words looked like Japanese characters, so I couldn't really understand, but there was some pretty damn scary pictures of… demons. Hmm. I wondered what it was about, and why I felt drawn to it.

"Can I help you?" Asked a deep male voice from above me. A quick glance over my shoulder confirmed that yes, it was the cute checkout boy, whose name tag read 'Christian'.

"Um…" Curses, I was nervous around strangers. Especially cute ones. But I squared my shoulders and took a deep breath. "Can you tell me what this book's about?"

He smiled, held out his hand for it, which I put it in. He fished in his jeans pocket for something, then pulled out black rectangular rimmed glasses. _Oh my God. _He looked at the cover, frowned at lack of title, then flipped through the pages. When he was down, he peeked down at me through his glasses and grinned. Damn he looked cute in glasses.

"It's about Japanese folklore," he explained. Duh, Aileen. It was in the Supernatural section… "Here, this at the beginning says…" He flipped to the first page, which was lines of the characters. "'Only you can see the tears, the never left my eyes, only you can melt the ice, that is my heart in disguise.'"

I flinched when I heard that. Wow, that sounded like it applied to me. Huh.

"Do you like this kind of stuff?" He asked with raised eyebrows.

_Shit. I suck under pressure. Especially cute guy pressure. _"Uh, no," I quickly lied. "It's for a school project."

He nodded in understanding. "Would you like to buy it, then?"

I considered. Something about the book was begging me to buy it. Normally, someone would've put it off as some sort of sales trick. But this place obviously wasn't a big enterprise, they seemed well off, and this book was about folklore. Was it a coincidence a book like this was calling to me?

"Sure," I told him.

When I was ringing up, the book only coming to a cheap $9.99, Christian glanced at me again, staring the cover down. Startling me, he asked, "Do you have a boyfriend?"

My head snapped up, staring, and he became flustered. "Uh, sorry, that was kind of sudden, wasn't it? I was just wondering, because it seems we like the same stuff, you're really pretty, so I can't imagine you without one…" He was stumbling over words, and I found that adorable… yet weak…

He slid the book into my hands again nervously. I obviously didn't have a boyfriend, and I wasn't really looking for one, but wouldn't it be good to make more human friends to blend in? I didn't really know. The Guardians were all I had for friends, so maybe more would be good.

But the hand that was holding the book seemed to slash a flash of heat up my arm and into my brain, making me say in a monotone, "Yeah, I have one."

His shoulders seemed to droop. "Oh, Well, if you ever want to hang out, I'm here from 3 to 8 on weekdays, and 9 to 6 on weekends." He grinned.

I nodded very slowly, my inner turmoil not bothering to come out.

_What he fuck was that?! It was like the book controlled my words!_

I hurried outside to wait for Nadeshiko and Yaya, whipping the book around madly. _It must be cursed! AHHHHHH!_

"Aileen," Yaya said from behind me worriedly. "What… what are you doing?"

I froze, throwing a glance over my shoulder. Then I began laughing it off nervously, only making her even more worried.

(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)

"We'll be right back," Nadeshiko said with her signature lady-like smile. "Do you want anything?"

"Yeah, a root beer, please," I said, handing her a toonie and two quarters. "If it costs any more, tell me."

"Sure, sure!" Yaya cheered, pulling Nadeshiko towards the convenience store by the wrist.

The sky was being dyed red, the sun fading away. I was thankful, since I wouldn't have to try and tolerate it for much longer. Out of boredom, I put my hair into long, low pigtails, then began fishtailing them. When it occurred to me again. The book.

I pushed it and it's terror to the back of my mind, but now I had nothing to do. I shrugged and picked it out of my purse, glaring at the cover. _I hate you. So much. _

I quickly started flipping through pages, not bothering to be careful because it was my enemy now. I stumbled upon a passage in English, and above it was a red slash, the same as the one on the cover.

It described how the Gods of Love came up with an idea long ago, to give a gift to humans because of their loyalty to their existence. However, it could also be a curse, considering that other humans aren't willing to believe in them. They tied their fate to someone else with a red string, tying their souls together. The creation of the Soul Mate principal and the Red String of Fate.

I'd never heard of that before. Probably because it was Japanese folklore and demons there are very different from demons here.

Startling me out of my quality reading time, music suddenly enveloped my ears. All different kinds. It sounded like it was coming from Rosetta Gardens, only two blocks away from here. I glanced around. Nadeshiko and Yaya were still browsing the convenience store, but I really wanted to see what was up. So I whipped out my cell phone and sent Yaya a quick text saying that I'd be right back. I quickly stood, the book tucked in my elbow, then took off.

As it turned out, there was some kind of music fest going on at the Gardens. Makeshift stages were set up all around, country, rock, and even some rappers were performing. Huh. I had no idea. Usually, I was good with things with the community.

For a few minutes, I leaned back on my heels and watched them all perform. They all looked so exhilarated, happy, alive. They were doing something they enjoyed, and they were making other people happy because of it.

I smiled sadly.

Then, suddenly, I heard it. A sad melody drifting from far away, reaching my ears even from a distance. My eyes widened as I recognized it, my memory flashing back to the full moon, my hands covered in blood, and the screams of that little girl dying as she fled.

"Aileen?" Ran asked, popping in front of my face. "What's the matter?"

I began running, as fast as my registered human speed would take me, towards the direction I heard it coming from. This song was different from everyone else's. It was sorrowful yet passionate, and played by a violin. Who on earth was it?!

The book felt like it was burning my under arm as I ran.

Finally, I arrived at the Rosetta Garden's gazebo, surrounded by crimson roses and illuminated by moonlight. And in the gazebo, playing the violin like he had been doing it all his life, was Ikuto.

I couldn't believe my eyes. He was supposed to be bad, right? He destroyed children's dreams. He worked for Easter. He…

His music sounded so beautiful…

I remembered the exact night I heard it, vividly at that. I had just received a new target from the Council, and was searching the city for it. It was a Vampire, but he didn't deserve that title. He was beneath us because of his deeds, raping young women and children, tearing out their organs, then drinking their blood greedily. Disgusting trash.

He had cornered a little girl, around eight, in an alley corner when I found him, drooling and snarling like some sort of beast. She had tears tearing up her cheeks, her whimpers so weak even though she was trying to keep quiet.

Just as he was right in front of her, lengthening his lethal claws, she screamed, a throat shattering and heart breaking noise. But just as she did, he did as well, only it came out gurgling and shattering. The little girl glanced up, frightened, and her mouth opened in terror.

There the man was, kneeling now, inky red blood streaming steadily from his chest, right where I had plunged my hand through with my lengthened claws. My golden eyes flat and steely, red hair flowing with the night breeze. I probably looked as much like a demon as he did.

And then she screamed and began running, leaving me behind to tear my hand out of the vermin's chest. Loneliness and sadness engulfed me, and then the violin began. I hadn't forgotten it.

Now here he was, my enemy playing it right in front of me, managing to look so damn dramatic and sexy at the same time, which is supposed to be impossible.

"It's you," I whispered, more to myself than him. But he heard, and stopped playing to glare at me.

"Why are you here?" He demanded.

I lifted a shoulder self-consciously. "No reason…" He was horrible. The kind of person that gave humans the bad name they own today. But… his music… it was so beautiful. I couldn't wrap my head around it.

Just then, I saw something that twinkled in the moonlight as he hefted up his violin case to set the instrument away. It looked like a crystalline four leaf clover…

I audibly gasped. "That key…!" It matched the Humpty Lock! Now things were starting to make sense. Why Tadase's look darkened when I asked if there was a key, why Ikuto could Character Transform…

He slid a glance in my direction, and it kind of looked like he… was sizing me up. He carefully plucked it off of his case and dangled it in my direction. "This is the Dumpty Key. It makes a pair with your Humpty Lock."

My lock… and his key…? It kind of felt like the book was singeing my arm now, like it was trying to tell me something. My heart seemed to be in my throat as he suddenly began approaching me, taking easy steps, not hesitant at all.

"Wh-what are you doing…?" I asked immediately, trying to back away. But it was like the book had burned my entire body, making me incapable of moving it. Not even to move my arm to drop it. And then he was right in front of me, gorgeous blue eyes boring into my lion's eyes.

He tilted his head down a bit, making me at least try to pull back my chest a little, but to no avail. I tried telling him to stop it, but it lacked conviction, and my voice trembled. He brought his hand up to my chest, and the only thoughts flying through my head were _dear Lord, why am I enjoying this?!_

But, much to my surprise, he simply reached up for the lock around my neck, and I exhaled all of the hot air that seemed to develop within me. _What did I think was going to happen?_

He stared at it for a minute, at least I'm hoping that was what he was staring at, then tried fitting the key into the lock. But it seemed too big to fit (and I cannot believe the innuendo that flitted through my head when that happened) and he sighed.

"Looks like it's not time," he murmured.

Staring down at him, I noticed that he had those long eyelashes that guys tend to and that girls would kill for, the same black-blue as his hair. They looked like dark crescents against his pale skin, and I couldn't help but come back to how attractive he was. Groan.

I could smell him up close. And beyond that scent of spicy body wash (oh Jesus) was his natural scent. It was so refreshing, like how the woods smelt just after fresh spring rain. Meep.

"Why are you all red, kid?" He snorted, leaning away and retreating to his case.

I waved my arms around in frustration. "I am _not! _And I'm not a kid!"

"See you later, you little perv."

Something occurred to me. "You're not finishing the song?" I asked, disappointment ringing in my voice. I wasn't exaggerating when I said I wanted to hear him play again.

He waved his hand dismissively. "It's already over."

"You're not playing it in the main square?" I always felt the need for solitude, but loneliness tended to outweigh it. "More people could hear you."

He shrugged. "I'm not playing for people to listen."

"Then why? The people out there are playing to become pros, right? Because they have dreams."

He was quiet for a long time, stopping his pace. Then he sighed. "You really are a kid."

He was pissing me off, talking like he knew everything bad about the world. I'll admit, a lot of people probably had it worse than I did, but not a mundane teenager. "Then why on earth would you play an instrument if dreams are so damn childish?"

Glancing back at me, he grinned mischievously. "Because I'm a kid, too."

After a moment of silent shock, I smiled. There was a flicker of honesty and kindness in his eyes, even if he was my enemy. I… kind of wanted to know more about him.

"Will you play one more song?" I asked, folding my hands together.

"No way."

"Please?"

He pursed his lips for a second, already taking his violin out of its case again. "I'll play if you sing."

"For real?" He nodded. "Then how about Keep Holding On?"

He snorted. "That song's really girly."

I huffed, but he began playing, nonetheless. Then I began singing the lyrics that meant so much to me. It kind of felt like we were in perfect harmony, and, for some reason, the book's red slash (which I set on the ground) seemed to glow.

When we were finished, I opened my peacefully closed eyes to discover that we weren't alone. A group of onlookers had gathered, and were now applauding as Ikuto quickly put his violin back in the case.

When he was finished, he grabbed my hand with a grin. "Come on." And then he took off, pulling me behind him with no trouble. His hand felt so smooth, with a violinist's fingers, his human heat foreign to me.

We finally stopped running by the lake by the park, neither of us winded. Wow, he must really be in shape… He turned back towards me, his mouth twitching.

"What?"

"You're singing…" He fake winced.

I slapped him on the arm, making him chuckle. I picked up the book just as he whisked me away, and it was safely tucked away in my nice little armpit space, only flaring slightly. I tried not to focus on how it only acted magical when I thought about romance, or was with… Ikuto. Hmmm.

"What's that?" He asked, just noticing it.

After a long moment of silence, I just shrugged. "Just a book."

"About…?" He drawled, a grin slowly creeping on his face as he thought about torturing it out of me. Sick bastard.

"Stuff… and… things…?" I giggled nervously, wondering what he thought it was about.

He hitched his violin case's strap over his shoulder, then crossed his arms, giving me a pointed look. "I'll respect your privacy… just this once, though."

A laugh barked out of me. "Are you implying that we'll be socializing more?"

Any traces of amusement on his face washed away like sand being carried away by the tide. His eyes became cold, reminding me yet again of the vision. I shook my head to clear out any cobwebs, and focused on what was in front of me. Why was he afraid of us getting close? Because we were enemies? Oh my God, wait. What if he suspected that I was a Vampire?!

"I have to go," I rasped, turning away from him with a lash of my fishtails. He caught one in his hand, making me yelp. "What are you doing?!"

He tugged my elastics out, making my hair fall in crimson waves around me, all crinkly now. I widened my eyes at him, a question in them.

"You look better with your hair down," he explained, those blue eyes suddenly drawing me in, looking sad… yet hungry. Oh me Lord, what. Now my feelings were majorly conflicting each other. I wanted him closer, but I could hurt him. I wanted to know more about him, but what if he learned too much about me? It was becoming a lot to handle.

So I danced away from him a bit, laughing nonchalantly and he let his hand drop. But before I bothered to leave, I turned back to him and smiled. "You play the violin more beautifully than anyone I have ever heard of. You make it sound like your feelings are in it."

Shock was plain on every aspect of his face. Despite me just pushing him away, he took three easy strides toward me until he was literally standing right in front of me. His breath stirred my hair. I knew if I looked up I'd be a goner.

Very slowly, he murmured, "Do you have any idea how long I've been waiting for someone to understand like that?"

He was just so _close_. Too close. Right now, I could totally picture me in his arms, his lips on mine, and (by far the worst) his tongue in my mouth. Oh, Aileen, what are you doing to yourself? The book was singeing my underarm again, and I was almost positive that it was urging me to get closer to him.

I almost did, but then I heard a deep "Milady" from behind me.

Recognizing the voice immediately, I whirled away from Ikuto to come face-to-face with Jules, minus the black cloak, his dark hair bathed by moonlight and black eyes flashing. There was only one thing he had come here for; I hadn't completed my mission yet. But he had seen Ikuto. The Vampire Overlord and a teenage mundane boy about to, well I don't know? This was bad.

"Bye," I rushed out to Ikuto letting Jules lead me away. He looked kind of like an abandoned kitten. That moment had gotten far too real for me. What the hell was this book doing? I would never think about stuff like that on my own… at least, I didn't think so. Then again, I usually didn't hang around with healthy teenage boys. What if this was some sort of… reaction?

Then my life would be over (classic teenage exaggeration).

Just as I thought, Jules only came to chastise me about my target. I countered by saying that they hadn't given me a specific place; they just told me it was in my area. So I had to waste time looking for it. In the end, he grunted and said I'd better hurry up.

Don't get me wrong; Jules was totally attractive, and irritatingly tall at a whopping six foot eight, but he annoyed me so much that I wanted to punch him in the mouth and make him eat his own teeth.

Just then, I got a myriad of texts from both Yaya and Nadeshiko, demanding to know where I was, if I was safe, if I got kidnapped… if I was abducted by Banana Man from the future (-Yaya)?! What! I quickly typed back a response saying that I was fine and hadn't been kidnapped (and sent a keen 'what the hell' to Yaya). I slid my phone shut, thinking. Should I ask the King what the deal with Easter was? Because I was so confused about Ikuto.

He was supposed to be my enemy. And yet he teased me, tortured me, flirted with me shamelessly, and looked at me with an emotion that was foreign to me. He made my stomach do funny things. I hated him, yet liked him (as a person, not romantically!) at the same time.

"This is getting so complicated," I growled while massaging my temples. My Charas all nodded in unison.

"Aileen, get it together!" Ran yelled, waving her pom poms and shaking her booty to-and-fro.

I roared at the night sky in frustration. Why did I have to make things so complicated?! _Shit, Aileen, get it together!_

(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)

"I'm starting to think that you guys are trying to distract me from something," I grumbled the next day, crossing one jeaned leg over the other.

Guess what it was today? Kukai invited me to go with him to a café after school, which turned out to only be the Starbucks around the corner from the academy.

Kukai jolted, then began laughing nervously. "What? Distract you? From what?!"

I gave him a withering look and shrugged. "How should I know."

"Then you have no proof of anything." So he said, but he still visibly relaxed. Curiouser and curiouser… "So, how have things been between you and the King?" He asked, eating some sort of chocolate covered pretzel stick.

I slammed my ice cap on the table, steaming. "I don't want to talk about it."

"Come on," he prodded, rolling his eyes slightly. "I didn't think you were the type to get so hung up over a guy."

"Sorry to disappoint you," I growled, snapping my teeth.

We sat in awkward silence for a minute, leaving me to quietly stew over Tadase. I didn't even want to think about it; I'd just get pissed off. But then Kukai scooted his chair over slightly, grabbed my head and pulled it to his chest. People around us might view it as a romantic gesture, but I only got the brotherly vibe from it, even though he was younger than me.

"It's okay," he said, patting my head like I was some pet. "Tadase really meant no harm. I've known him forever and he has never intentionally hurt anyone. He might just be confused. One day, he'll be able to see that."

I was quiet for a minute, then lifted my head to gaze across the street at an elderly couple holding hands. Then became incredibly sad. _I'll never get to grow old with someone._ "It's not that I want him to realize his mistake…" I mumbled.

"Huh?" Kukai asked.

"I want him to suffer for it!" I growled loudly, making people around us jump. "Intentions or not, I cannot believe he would do something like that! You can't just reject a girl then tell her that you like her, but you know, someone she's really not! He's going to pay for making me steam like this!"

It was quiet for a minute, then Kukai burst into uncanny laughter. "You, my friend, are the most interesting girl I have ever met."

"What am I, a test subject?!"

"We should get going," he said, looking at his phone's clock and grinning. "It's about time."

I jumped from my seat. "See, I knew you were hiding something!"

He rolled his ivy eyes. "Yes, yes, we were hiding something from you. Happy now?"

I crossed my arms as he stood. "Not really. What is it?"

"You'll see."

"You know I hate vague people."

"I'm not being vague; just letting you anticipate what it is."

I groaned. I hated surprises. That should've been an important piece of info in my 'file', so I wondered why they were trying to surprise me in the first place. Kukai jogged across the street when the light was turning yellow, and I wasn't far behind, though I was dragging my feet a bit. I didn't want a surprise. I had enough surprise in my life.

Speaking of, I carried the book with me everywhere now, in my bag with my Chara Eggs, I didn't know why; it was probably making me do it like it tends to. What I didn't get is why a 'magic' book like this was in a normal human book store. Are people dumb?

Even though it was about five now, Kukai opened the school gate like it was no big deal then started heading in the direction of the Royal Garden. Big surprise. But just before he opened the big glass door, he darted behind me and threw his hands over my eyes.

"Hey!" I protested, struggling against his hold.

"Shhh, just relax."

"You sound like a kidnapper, Souma."

"And you're being happily kidnapped, Howard."

"WHAT!"

I heard the doors creak open (though it sounded like a symphony to me), and Kukai pushed me through with his torso. I heard people shuffling about, and I got a very bad feeling. Christ, they really were planning some sort of terrible surprise. I sighed heavily.

"Okay…" Kukai drawled, leading me up the steps. "Annnd… there you go!"

He tore his hand away, and my entire body drooped in hopelessness.

"Surprise!" The Guardians chimed, firing off noise makers and turning up music in the background. Oh my God, this couldn't be happening.

"What's this for?" I groaned.

Nadeshiko stepped forward and surprised me by wrapping me in a hug. "Sorry it's a bit late, but this is to celebrate your becoming a Guardian and your birthday! We know you hate surprises-" Oh these jerks! "-But we still wanted to celebrate."

"Oh. Well, thanks, I guess." I was flustered. Even though I hated surprises, I've never had friends celebrate for me like this before. I was also touched, and my chest felt all warm and fluttery. This was kind of… great.

"Happy belated birthday, Miss Howard," Tadase smiled coming up next to me.

My smile was more like a grimace. "Thanks, Hotori."

Kukai nudged my back, discreetly telling me to be nice. I elbowed him back, making him stumble, telling him to buzz off.

Thank God they didn't have any presents. I was so relieved, since I had already received so much from them. All that shopping was for decorations, since the Garden was decked out with red streamers and red and black balloons, my favourite colours. There was a bunch of cherry flavoured stuff, my favourite again, and… gasp! Chocolate tuxedo cake! It was official; these were my favourite people ever.

We shared a lot of laughs and stories, becoming closer than we had ever been. I even considered forgiving Tadase for his total douchebag move. Not that he knew it was a douchebag move. I sighed when thinking about it.

Now I was walking home from that little adventure, stuffed and happy. It was actually so fun that I was glad they surprised me. The book was cold and not having any reaction, though. I wondered why that was.

"That was so delicious!" Su sighed happily, her stomach now a large bulge.

"I think you pigged out a tad too much," Miki sighed.

Ran added, "You're not going to be able to properly work out if you keep eating like that!"

Scarlet simply scratched her head in irritation. But then we smelled it at the same time.

A wet dog smell.

"Towards the forest," I snapped while gesturing to the forest that you had to go through to get to Rosetta Gardens a certain way. It wasn't the thickest, but the trees would provide a decent cover. And just in front of the entrance, I could see a sheen of white, moving, and I could hear it grunting.

I was over there in a second, my heart pounding. The werewolf. My target. It was finally here.

It noticed my presence, then stood to its full height, so much taller than me with extremely long and threatening canines bared. Its fur stood on end, and it looked like something from a horror movie. I wondered, idly, what it had done as a crime. The look in its eyes wasn't evil; it was scared and lonely. But then it snapped its teeth at me, and I felt a little heartbroken as the chase began.

It was a silver streak darting through the woods, like a long strip of paint slathered across a dark canvas. The moon made its fur gleam like a glittering waterfall. I was right on its tail, a flame of crimson stalking its prey through the darkness. The smoke of Shadow Swarm began forming around me, and inky red colour that lifted me off my feet and made me almost ghost through the trees.

The wind was collecting around me, giving me strength and cold power through the element. I gathered some in my hands, then reared back and blasted it on the wolf. It whirled around and stumbled, scraping on the ground and snarling loudly. I landed right in front of it, placing one pale hand on my hip and bearing my fangs at it.

It snapped its teeth at me again, but fear was so evident in its eyes that I hesitated. This was my job. I had to do it. Gritting my teeth, I pulled back one clawed hand, then shoved it in its struggling chest, making whine and howl. Its blood spurted all over me, making me cringe. It didn't smell good at all. Then I gathered the heat in my body and around me and surged it forward, making the beast ignite.

The smell of rotting flesh eclipsed all my senses, and as soon as I was sure it's body and bones were just ash, I diminished the fire and stumbles out of the forest. My Charas had finally caught up, and we covering their noses with the back of my shirt, tears streaming from the threes' eyes. I think I felt a prick in mine too, but I kept my expression cold and stony as I reached the exit.

Then it contorted into horrified shock.

The musicians' bodies lay scattered on the ground, unconscious. But that wasn't all. So many X Eggs were flying around, a black wind whipping about furiously. And in the middle of all that was the Character Changed Ikuto.

"What…" I gasped, at a loss for words. "What is this?" My hands were shaking, in light of this and recent events.

His eyes were completely cold and void as he said, "My job."

So there was no doubt. Ikuto worked for Easter, and he was my enemy. I don't know why I ever thought otherwise. I was being delusional. I could feel the book in my bag, starting to almost pulsate with heat. It suddenly urged me to take a hesitant step forward.

But then Ikuto snapped his teeth at me and yelled, "Stay away!"

My steps froze, along with my expression.

He turned his back to me and began to walk away, the X Eggs following him. "I'm… dangerous."

Adding to my own fury was the book. Human ignorance. I couldn't believe someone like him thought he was dangerous. Someone who brought a girl so many treats as payback, who could play such beautiful music, who cheers her up in front of her parent's grave, dangerous? The thought made me want to laugh.

The book was burning up now, making me lose all control over my actions. I began barking out loud bursts of laughter, though they were cruel, making Ikuto whirl to face me incredulously.

"You, dangerous?" I began laughing so much harder, panicking inside my head. _What was happening?! _"Yeah, right. You're just a human boy."

His face remained impassive. "You have no idea."

Now the book was infuriated, too. "I do!" I hissed slash screamed at him, making him flinch. "Do you want to know why?"

All of the emotions Sonata and Aria listed in their vision replayed in my head and resonated within my chest as the book pushed my limbs forward at Vampire speed, putting me right in front of him and pin him to the hard cobblestone ground. He looked at me in shock, which melted into horror as I felt my eyes heat up until I was certain they were a crimson colour, my pupils shrinking down to that of a cat's.

My fangs pushed out of my gums furiously, and I hissed right in his face, my Charas protesting and screaming in my ear.

"_This _is dangerous," I growled, bearing my fangs and widening my crimson eyes at him. "I'm a fucking Vampire, genius."

_**OHHHHHHHH! WHAT! WHAAAAT! AILEEN REVEALED THAT SHE WAS A VAMPIRE TO… IKUTO?! OHHHHHHHHH! AND NOW YOU KNOW WHY MY GIRL IS SO DUMB!**_

_**Before I continue my rant, I would like to take the time to apologize for the extremely late update. There is no excuse for my tardiness, and I give you permission to curse my name. *Bows in shame***_

_**THIS is why Aileen had to be wary of the Black Cat, ladies and gents. Those two are indeed connected somehow, which the book is trying to tell Aileen, and now everything is slipping through the cracks. HE KNOWS. I know a lot of you wanted like, Nadeshiko or Utau to find out, and I'm sorry for the disappointment, but this was predetermined. It really helps with the story.**_

_**And FYI, nobody knows that the Scarlet Dancer is a Vampire. So know that Ikuto knows about that, her identity as the SD is not revealed, mmkay?**_

_**What will happen from here now that he knows?! Will Aileen find him and erase his memories?! Will she push herself to go so far as to kill him (highly unlikely)?! Or will he surprise her by saying that he wants to keep her secret?! What is in store for this hot and cold pair? Ikuto now knows that his darkness is probably insignificant compared to the world of Darkness. How will he ever cope with this?! Look forward to Chapter XIII, Embraced!**_

_**Aileen: "AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"**_

_**Crimrose4all: "Uh-huh, you stupid little stinker. Look what you've done now."**_

_**Aileen: *Completely befuddled***_

_**Scarlet: "Please leave a review before Ai just goes and snaps. *Shakes head at Aileen's impulsiveness*"**_


	13. Chapter 13

_**My explanation to why this chapter is so damn late? I had shit to deal with. I don't like dealing with shit. Anyway, this is going to be another original chapters in light of Chapter XII, since IKUTO FREAKING KNOWS HER SECRET NOW. Mwahaha, just when I think of the things I have in store for those two I start giggling uncontrollably.**_

_**Crimrose4all: "Huh? Wait, where's my bugger?"**_

_**Ikuto: "She's just lying in bed. Ever since Chapter XII, she's just kind of been laying there. That's all she does."**_

_**Crimrose4all: "…So it's just you and me?"**_

_**Ikuto: "*Odd look* I guess?"**_

_**Crimrose4all: "HALLELUJAH!"**_

_**Disclaimer: I do not own Shugo Chara.**_

Chapter XIII: Embraced

_All eyes were on me, all mouths moving to laugh at me._

_Tears of blood streamed down my face as my arms and legs were lifted mechanically by the silver spider web strings, bobbing me up and down. The monsters' faces were all covered by white clown masks, smiling even though they might frown._

_All eyes were on me, on my performance that wasn't mine._

_I hated it so much. Not being able to control my actions, having the Council decide everything for me. And they all laughed at my pain and struggle, refusing to take any of my crap. I couldn't escape. I was just like a puppet on strings, doing a dance for them on the stage of darkness._

_Just when my performance was getting too lax and they began throwing severed human hands at me, my strings were suddenly cut. The crowd went eerily silent, the circus music in the background coming to a halt. Then an uproar started, masks being torn off to revel the faces of nightmares, snarling and hissing at me. Coming for me._

_I was frightened. They were coming at me from all sides. I had nowhere to run. Then suddenly, someone's hands came under my calves and back, sweeping me off my feet, shocking me silent. Fire began somewhere in the crowd, and the howling wind made the black layered dress dance around my legs. _

_My saviour leapt away from all the pandemonium, taking me with them. Who was it? I looked into their face, to thank them maybe, and saw black cat ears._

_And Ikuto's face, smiling at me tenderly._

"_I'll protect you," he murmured, tightening his grip on me. My face suddenly became so red that I knew I was about to freaking explode as he escaped with me into the night._

"AH!"

For the millionth time that week, I bolted upright out of bed, gasping for air and my face completely flushed. My hair was a straggled mess, hanging in my face like red spider threads. My Charas were so used to it, they didn't even wake up with my screaming this time.

But they did when I screamed the second time as the events from last night came rushing back to me.

_Ikuto knows my secret._

This is what the vision had been warning me about. My fangs lengthened, eyes flashing crimson, the black cat (know that I thought about it, that nickname totally made sense. I was an idiot). That foreboding feeling that someone would find out.

After it happened, I didn't know what to do. Ikuto was… looking at me in horror. Like I was a… monster. Which I was, but it still… shocked me so much. Ikuto used to never show any emotion to me, but then he…

Completely shocking me, tears were streaming down my face silently. I didn't cry. Especially for strange humans I barely even knew, and were also my enemies. But… I scared him. He was scared of me. He was just like the rest of them. Just like…

"Aileen, what's wrong?" Ran asked, resting her tiny hand on mine, not even weighing anything.

"Why do I…" I sobbed, eyes completely flooded. "Always do things like this? Why do I… destroy everything I care about?"

I grabbed a pillow from behind me, not wanting the pieces of me see me cry. I didn't understand why I felt so heartbroken. Why I felt so torn apart. The only time I had ever felt like this before was when Clarlenny was sliced cleanly in two in front of me, her blood spurting on everyone's clothes, her wings' light dying.

I was destroyed that day. And that's how I felt right now.

"Pull yourself together, Aileen," Scarlet snarled, peeking over the pillow at me. "Don't focus on how you feel about it; focus on what you're going to do about it."

Hesitantly, I pulled the pillow away and discarded it to the floor. Scarlet was right. What was I going to do? I could threaten him, erase his memory, or…

No. I wouldn't even consider it.

I could barely handle the thought of even being close to Ikuto again. Ignoring the fact that he knew about my true nature, he was an employee of Easter that now had dirt on me. Serious dirt. And people like him were scum. He destroyed children's dreams.

But even so, my mind kept flitting through all the moments we shared. Like staring at each other, when he gave me those treats, when he told me where Su was when she was lost, when he grabbed my wrist to keep me from leaving and I felt his heartbeat, when I heard his violin, when he was so close…

My heart clenched painfully, like someone had wrapped a giant fist around it and squeezed until it burst. What could I do? I guess… the best option would be to erase his memories. That was the only way. Then… he would never look at me like that again.

But first thing's first.

Today was a school day. And despite my demonic nature, I had not missed a single day. Well, today I was going to break that streak. Because I needed to get rid of that horrid book, ASAP.

So I drove downtown at illegal speed, filled with the fire of hatred. This book seemed to be able to control me somehow. Like fuelling my emotions to extreme lengths, and making me think things that I normally wouldn't even dream of. It had to go. I couldn't have something like this happen again.

"Aileen, slow down or I'm going to vomit," Su gulped.

"Then don't eat so much," Miki snorted.

"I hate you guys so much."

"Shut up or I'm lurching." They shut up.

I finally pulled to a stop in front of the tiny book store, and I looked in the window to see a girl at the counter today. I huffed. So Christian wasn't here. I guess I'd just have to hope that this chick would understand the problem.

Edgily, I got out of the car and slammed the door before my Charas could follow. Then I stormed into the book store, startling the female cashier.

"Can I help you?" She asked timidly, adjusting her glasses self-consciously.

I glanced around with narrowed eyes. "Is Christian working here today?"

She blinked. "Um, pardon?"

I growled at her, making her flinch. "Christian. Is he working today."

"Uh, um, no one works here by that name," she stuttered.

I froze. "What."

"I'm the only one that works here. Well, besides my boss, Mikaela." She was hiding behind a book, cringing and shaking.

For a long time, I just stood there, the only expression on my face one of the poker variety. Then I turned on one heel and marched out the door, my face still frozen in a poker face.

"Well? How did it go?" Miki asked. Then her eyes travelled to the book, still being gripped tightly in my hand. "Why is it still here?"

I started the car mechanically. Then I said, "No one by the name of Christian works there."

Ran, Miki, and Su's expressions melted into horror. "Then… who sold you that book?"

I shook my head, driving back home with nothing else to do. "I have no idea what the fuck is going on. But something isn't right about all this."

"That much is obvious," Scarlet snorted.

"I'm almost positive this book was written by a demon," I mumbled, more to myself than them. "It gives off a demonic aura, and no human book could have the power to control someone like it does."

"What are you going to do with it?" Su asked timidly.

I pulled into the driveway, parked, then slammed my head against the steering wheel. "I don't know. I'm just so… lost and confused. I don't understand why this is happening."

After a stretch of silence, the three nice ones all placed their hands on my heads and began to stroke my hair comfortingly.

"It'll work out somehow," Ran sniffled, and I turned to realize that they were crying. "We know how much pain you're in, but we'll find a way."

"We'll fix this," Su nodded.

"AILEEN. ZARIEL. VARTITER."

I cringed. Only one person would say my full name like that. I carefully got out of the car to face Felicia, who was tapping her toe against the asphalt in an irritated pace.

"Hi," I cringed, preparing for the worst.

Turns out that the worst was forcing me into my uniform, then shoving me in my car to drive off to school, despite first period being over already. I really didn't want to go. How the hell was I going to face the Guardians? Oh my God, I didn't even think of that.

"Well," I said to my Charas as we stood in front of my English class' door. "I'm royally fucked today."

"Royally," Scarlet nodded, in a way to remind me that I would also have to deal with the Council.

Okay, one slip up and suddenly my life's a mess all over again? After all that had already happened to me? That hardly seemed fair. I hated this world now, so much, and I think I have the right to fall into a full-on depression.

With a sigh, I pushed through the door, and everyone's eyes turned on me. Even Nikaidou's, though his seemed cold and calculating today, shocking me.

"Miss Howard," he said with a smile, though it looked painfully forced. "How kind of you to join us. I supposed you have a decent excuse for being late?"

"Um," I floundered. "I just, uh… had some business to take care of."

He nodded. "I figured as much. Give me your late slip then head to your seat." I obeyed robotically, startled by his sudden change in disposition. When I sat, Nadeshiko and I locked gazes. She raised her arms in a 'what the heck' gesture. I just shook my head.

I was all too relieved when English was over and lunch started. The atmosphere in the classroom was suffocating, like Nikaidou would snap at anyone at any given moment. I didn't even bother going to the Royal Garden for lunch. I just climbed the tallest tree on campus and crashed there until the bell signalling the start of third period began. Great. Now I was going to be late again.

My negative mood seemed to be rubbing off on my Charas, I noticed as I walked down the emptying hallway. They floated kind of droopily, like how I was walking. I heaved a large sigh. Now I was dragging the people around me down with me.

I was almost to the Science room when I heard a window opening behind me, then someone crawling in. I whipped around to see Ikuto, looking surprised to have been noticed, sneaking into the hallway. We stared in silence for a few beats, then I broke into a run down the hall.

The sad thing was that when I was going at a human speed, he was much faster than I was, and he caught up easily. I was right in front of the open doorway to my science class, with everyone looking out of it at me questioningly, when Ikuto grabbed my leg and I fell to the ground. I tried to claw my way across the floor as he started grunting and dragging me away, barking at me to shut up. For the millionth time, I wished that I really did have that rape whistle. I felt like it would come in handy right now.

As he dragged me down the hall, I gave up fighting, knowing that it was futile. This gave me some time to wonder what the fuck he was doing here, looking for me, especially after what had happened last night. I thought he would have avoided me at all costs. But here he was, at my school, dragging me down the hallway like he was kidnapping me.

He let me stand, since we were about to climb the stairs to go to the roof. He raised his eyebrows, daring me to try and escape. I could've. Without a doubt. But I… I wanted to get whatever this was over with. Hopefully, it was something along the lines of "you're a freak! I never want to see you again!" So he would stop riding on my mind all the time.

I opened the door to the roof with hardly any effort, despite it being heavy to humans, and was greeted with a blast of a warm spring breeze (not that I could really feel the warmth). The tops of the maple trees danced in the wind chaotically, reflecting the emotions I neglected to show.

Might as well get it over with. "What do you want?" I demanded harshly.

His face was carefully blank, his eyes calculating as he said, "To talk to you. About last night."

I snorted, though it was a cruel and brutal sound. He cocked his head to the side, a question in his beautiful blue eyes. "There's no point in talking to you about anything."

The breeze angrily stirred my hair as I turned, my golden eyes wide with a glare and shadowed by the sun. "I'm just going to erase your memories, anyway."

His eyes widened in shock, his mouth moving but no sound coming out. He was in his uniform again today, so I assumed he skipped school to come here. Just to get told that his memories were going to be erased.

Before he could say anything, I used my supernatural speed and was in front of him in a second. My hand was shaking as I extended it in front of his face. No matter who he was, he was still a human. Would this hurt him? What if it hurt him? I squeezed my eyes shut, feeling like my heart was going against a cheese grater.

But before my hand touched his forehead, he reached up with his cat-like reflexes, caught my wrist, and whispered, "No."

I think I was in shock, because I felt absolutely nothing. "What do you mean 'no'? How are you not afraid of a bloodsucker, Ikuto? Don't you want to forget?"

He was quiet for a few beats, fidgeting. Finally, he sighed. "Last night just confirmed what I had suspected all along."

All I could do was blink as the shock slowly wore off. Then I narrowed my eyes into slits and hissed, "WHAT."

He held his hands up defensively. "Well, what was I supposed to think, with your eyes, strength, and speed? I've seen vampire movies and read books, you know. I'm not dumb."

"WHY DIDN'T YOU SAY ANYTHING?!"

"Because I knew you would react like this."

"SO YOU'RE JUST TRYING TO PISS ME OFF?!"

Now he was trying to hold back a laugh, the douche. I huffed, letting the steam escape through my mouth. "I still have to erase your memories. No human can know about what I am. Especially not my enemy." Then something I never even considered before occurred to me. "Oh my God, you can blackmail me with this! That's it, consider your memories gone."

He moved away slightly before I could even try again, a look of disgust on his face. "You make it sound like I voluntarily work for Easter. Don't you trust me?" He asked.

I gave him the most withering look in the world. "I just said you're my enemy. Of course I don't."

His midnight eyes grew serious all of a sudden, and there was a hint of sadness and… loneliness reflected in them. "Aileen." The way he said my name sent shivers down my spine. "For one second, just one second, picture that we weren't enemies. That I never even worked for Easter, and you never were a Guardian. That we met like normal people and this still happened. Would you trust me then?"

I was quiet for a long time, actually considering. Then I closed my eyes just as a cloud ran over the sun, turning the sky dark. "No. I can't even trust myself."

He sighed, almost in defeat. "I suspected as much. You seem like the emo type."

I raised an eyebrow. "What did you just say?" When his mouth twitched but he didn't respond, I sighed. "Why the hell would you want to remember anyway?"

After a stretch of silence, he murmured, "To be honest, I don't know." At my incredulous look and open mouth, he continued, "It's weird. It feels kind of like… I'm supposed to know. I won't tell anyone; why would I? But… it doesn't scare me." He looked to the sky, the sun coming out from behind the clouds again. "The thought that vampires and stuff exist… it's kind of mind-boggling if you know what I mean. But if it's you, then…"

He looked at me again, the weirdest look in his eyes as his mouth twitched into a grin. "I guess I don't mind."

My eyes widened in utter and complete shock. My heart pounded so hard I was terrified he could hear it, making my face blend in with my hair. Something in my chest squeezed and tightened, and I began losing my breath. What was happening? Why wasn't he scared? Why did I feel this way all of a sudden?

No… it wasn't all of a sudden. I've felt like this around him before. When we were at my parent's grave, and he cheered me up. It was so strange. My gaze softened involuntarily as I looked at him. He was telling the truth. Even though he was my enemy, he wasn't lying to me. Did Ikuto even want to work for Easter? If so, we did he consistently come to my aide? Why did he act like he understood me? Why won't he run away?

Being the total tsundere I am, I huffed and looked away from him. "I…guess if you insist, I'll let you keep your memories." My head snapped back to give him a glare. "But tell a single soul, and consider your blood gone."

He didn't even look scared as he said, "Noted."

My face flushed all over again as the sun's light completely shone down on us unabashedly. The kind of strawberry blonde like strands in my hair came out, as did the black ones in his. That was odd. I cocked my head to the said. His hair was more blue-black than anything. And his eyes held some icy blue tints. _Wow, they were… beautiful. _

I shook my head in dismay, cursing the book for making me think like this. Then I remembered. _The book wasn't here._ Were… some of the things I imagined with the book in my hands my own thoughts?

Completely embarrassed, I started heading towards the door back to the school. _Don't let yourself get too elated. Prepare for betrayal. For heartbreak. Don't be too happy… _I repeated that like a mantra in my head, so I wouldn't get hurt when the time came for him to be a human and be scared of me.

"Wait, I still have questions," he said, striding to my side.

"Why aren't you even at school?" I said while throwing my hands in the air exaggeratingly.

He grinned like the Cheshire Cat. "I skip all the time."

"You're gonna flunk out."

"And what a shame that'd be."

I reached the door, then, and turned back to face him. "I can't answer all of your questions," I murmured, my gaze hardening. "It's dangerous. And you're still my enemy." He rolled his eyes. "But I'm a good student, actually, so I'm going back to school, dammit. And maybe, the next time we meet, MAYBE I'll answer your questions."

He smirked. "Looking forward to it."

I turned back towards the door, pulling on the handle. Then, a thought occurring to me, I turned back to ask him why he felt like he was supposed to know; maybe he was just under the books influence since I had been with him when I was under it.

But I was only greeted with a deserted roof and a blindingly bright sky, full of hope and opportunities.

"Well, well, well," Felicia muttered as I walked in the door after an insanely long day. "Looks like someone actually had the gull to show their face in here again."

I rolled my eyes. "I miss an hour or two of school and it's like you want to disown me."

She stood from her armchair, amber eyes flashing. "If you miss something important about human culture, even one little thing, you're position as Vampire Overlord is gone. Then you're as good as dead."

"I know, I know," I said, but I couldn't keep the grin off my face.

She frowned. "What's with you?"

"Nothing," I sang, practically skipping up to my room.

Someone knew my secret. And they were my enemy. But somehow… I knew. I knew that everything would be alright.

-Ikuto-

The sunlight streamed through the gap in my dark curtains, illuminating my otherwise dark room. Well, that and my computer screen. Which I was staring at so hard I felt my eyeballs getting fried.

I felt like such a loser for doing so, but the second I got home, the first thing I did was research vampires. These things existed. And they were frighteningly real. It was kind of surreal, and I know I wouldn't have believed it if one hadn't been staring me in the face.

Everything on the Internet was basically stuff you could've learned from Twilight or something. They drink blood pretty much every fortnight, they hate the sun, super human abilities… which was already explaining some of the suspicions I already had about Aileen. Her strength and speed always took me by surprise, the unearthly beauty, the way she coughed up blood in the sun… But did she drink blood?

…Stupid question. Of course she did.

It was very difficult for my mind to come up with the image of Aileen, bent over someone's neck, blood streaming from two fang-sized incisions… but it was easy to imagine the Aileen I saw last night doing it, with the snake-like fangs and crimson eyes with cat pupils. I don't know why, but those two sides seemed like two totally different people. Aileen loved chocolate, smiled when a child gave her a dandelion, and always looked so… fragile and alone.

I leaned back in my computer chair and sighed. Was everything I thought I knew about her a lie? Was she really just a blood-sucking monster?

…Wait a minute.

I bolted up from my chair, a thought suddenly occurring to me. She has Guardian Characters. That means she must be more human than vampire. She has dreams, a self she wants to be, and she's helping out the Guardians find the Embryo before Easter. It was impossible for her to be all bad and malevolent. I don't think she'd have Guardian Characters if she was. There must be something different about her.

Maybe she was one of those vampires that wanted to be good. That wanted to be human. I rubbed my temples and the incoming headache. There were so many questions now that I wanted answered, and the Internet wasn't helping at all. Maybe I could go to her house and disrupt her evening just because…

Shaking my head, I decided I needed a break from all this… thinking. So not as to disturb my mother, I slid open my window and inhaled the spring air. The sun was just setting, lighting the sky on fire. Then I leaped from my window and went down… down… until my feet safely hit the ground, springing back up with cat like reflexes.

I started walking to the nearest convenience store, set on buying a cold Starbucks drink or something. And by 'close', I meant that this store was two or three blocks away, "conveniently" (snicker, snicker) close to Aileen's place. I could maybe buy her chocolate or something… wait, why would I do that again? Isn't once enough? God, what was going on with my head? It's like she sank her vampire fangs into my brain and leeched on, refusing to let go now and forever.

"Ikuto, Ikuto, can you buy me fish?" Yoru demanded, golden cat eyes gleaming excitedly.

"I doubt there's fish at a convenience store," I muttered, rolling my eyes.

"Then look!"

"Say please."

"Don't make me steal your wallet."

Two blocks had already flown by through our bickering and my thoughts, and we reached our destination, a fluorescently lit Mac's. I pushed open the glass doors, that weird corner store smell hitting me, a mixture of cardboard, snack foods, and Slush Puppies. They opened with a chime, and Yoru darted off to frantically search for fish. I rolled my eyes at him again and headed for the coolers filled with cold drinks, now considering an Arizona or something. I saw energy drinks and wrinkled my nose.

When I found one that seemed appetizing, I grabbed it from the cooler, a cold weight in my hand, then turned around to find Aileen nonchalantly standing in the snack aisle with her Charas, and they were all bickering about something, per the norm.

I was surprised to see her looking so… lazy. Normally, I saw her in her uniform, or some kind of casual outfit that ended up looking fancy on her frame. But today she just wore black leggings, a long vanilla coloured tee shirt, and black Doc Martens. Her long, scarlet hair was in a low ponytail, curling at the ends (since when did _that _happen?).

"I want something strawberry flavoured!" Yelled her pink Chara whose name escaped me.

"No way," Aileen said, looking at her sternly. "We're getting something chocolate." Thus proving me aforementioned theory of her obsession with chocolate.

"And beef jerky," interjected a silver haired one I had never seen before.

Aileen nodded at her, saying something about never forgetting the meat, making me shudder. But I couldn't help but laugh. She's the only one besides me who can see her Charas, so the clerk was looking at her like she was certifiable.

She whirled around at the sound, getting red hair in the green Chara's face. Her eyes widened in shock, then seemed to wilt in despair.

I do believe I have a female Edward Cullen on my hands.

"Oh god, you are following me," she face-palmed, like finally getting the confirmation of something she had suspected all along.

I was careful to keep my expression neutral. "I thought I mentioned to you that I lived around here. I just came to get a drink." Her eyes darted to the Arizona in my hands, then returned to my (handsome) face and narrowed. I smirked, and her face suddenly became very flush. "But how convenient is this. Now you can answer my questions." I could think of about thirty off the top of my head.

She heaved an exaggerated sigh, and made one of her silly faces, where her eyes popped out of her head. "Of course I had to say something like that. Guys, just get a penny candy bag and fill it with stuff of the same price, 'kay?" She told her Charas, who nodded and darted off.

But I slid in their path, making them smack into my chest. Their tiny protests echoed in my ears, but I ignored them.

"Are you nuts?" I asked with a withering look. "What is the clerk going to think when he sees a paper bag floating around and candy dropping into it?"

Like the reality had just dawned on her, I could see the epiphany on her face. "_Oh. _I'll do it then." The Charas named off the candies they wanted, and she plopped them into the brown paper bag before heading to the check-out counter, trying and failing to belligerently ignore me. I followed close behind, saying no when the clerk asked if we were paying together.

When we stepped out of Mac's, the sun had set, barely leaving a smear of indigo across the sky. The beginnings of stars we beginning to poke out, and even though it was close to summer, the night air still made me shiver. Aileen didn't shiver. She made no acknowledgement to the cold whatsoever.

It's like the reality of her vampirism hit me just then, watching her stand with a nippy wind blowing in her face and paying it now mind. Looking unearthly beautiful, and completely immune to the cold. She was warm, though. Whenever I touched her. I had no idea what that could mean.

Just for a confirmation, I turned to face her, making her glance up at me. Before she could ask "what", I placed a palm on her cheek, making her face ignite. Two things to disprove the dead body walking theory; the blood rushed to her face, and her cheek was warm even without the flush.

"What are you doing?!" She demanded as she swat my hand away, which was warm, as well.

"Nothing," I shrugged, faking nonchalance. "Just testing something."

Her expression darkened. "Seeing if I was dead cold?" When I nodded, she turned away from me again. "Sorry to disappoint you, but the legends and folklore were wrong. We're warm. As warm as humans, maybe warmer. It helps with the guise."

"Great, well, why don't we continue this conversation over there?" I asked, gesturing to a park bench under a pair of willow trees, drooping as if they wept for the sorrows of revelation I was about to face.

Even though I sat, Aileen remained standing with her arms crossed and lips puckered, thinking. Her Charas were taking their candy haul from the white plastic bag, preparing to chow down on the empty space next to me.

"So," she finally said, after I had popped the tab on my drink. "You said you had questions."

I glanced up at her while sipping with raised eyebrows. My voice echoed in the long and narrow can as I asked, "Are you going to be vague when answering?"

"Most likely."

"Whatever." I tried to pick an easy question off the endless list in my head. What could I learn from a teenage vampire girl from the prestigious Howard family? A question that I had never thought of earlier popped into my head suddenly, and I snapped my head up to stare at her incredulously.

"Are all the Howards vampires?" The thought of having a vampire family with very high social standing mingled with humans every day gave me the chills.

Aileen smirked. "Of course. I would never be able to live with humans."

Activate chills… now. "Alright then. I can cope. Are they your real family? Or creators or whatever? Are vampires even bitten to be created? Or can you be born?"

She looked at me incredulously. "For someone that's normally so quiet and brooding, you sure have a lot to ask." I shrugged, making her sigh. "Okay, let's tackle these one at a time. You asked if the Howards were my real family, right?" I nodded. "The answer is no, they're not."

"Who is?"

"None of your beeswax."

When I slammed the Arizona on the bench in frustration, she groaned. "I said I was going to be vague. There are details I _can't _give you, and details I don't _want _to give you."

Well that was vastly irritating. "Jesus."

"Moving on." She was avoiding the family subject. _Note note. _"Are vampires bitten to be created. Well, they can be. The majority are. There are vampires that just enjoy human struggle and turn them, longing to watch their torture in the world of the night and having difficulty to adapt. It could also be an accident. Like, when vampires are feeding, they don't completely drain humans… well, they're not supposed to. Anyway, they could accidently slip some of their blood into the human's bloodstream during the feeding process, creating a mistake. The human could die from not enough vampire blood or human blood, become one of us, or have too much vampire blood for their bodies to handle and become an Undead, a zombie-like creature who has died from the overdose, but the vampire blood keeps them up and running.

"Then there are humans who want to be bitten. It's normally for stupid reasons, like eternal youth, increased senses, et cetera." It seemed like her answers just brought up more questions. "In which case they seek out a vampire and request to be bitten. This is the second most common way of being bitten, accident being the first. But vampires can be born, since we do have some human chemistry within us, such as our appearance, emotions, and so on. We're born exactly like human babies, and we tend to be more docile than a bitten vampire."

"You keep saying 'we'," I interjected, earning me a glare that I ignored. "Are you a born vampire?"

She nodded. "I'm what's called a Pure Breed, a vampire with an amount of zero human blood flowing through my veins. My entire family has been vampires and only vampires, so we are in a higher tier of vampire hierarchy in our society."

Shit. More questions. "Vampires have a society?"

She rolled her eyes. "How else do we have laws? No killing copious amounts of humans, which links back to the very first rule, never let a human find out what you are." She glared at me. "Which is why I must withhold some information from you, so you won't get intermingled with the Council, a group of demons bent on keeping law and order so we can live on this earth without disturbing each other. It's especially crucial that I keep the info to myself, of all people."

"Why?"

"I'm the vampire Overlord. And before you can ask, that means I'm like the queen of all vampires, since my family members are all… um, MIA and none can fill in. So it's my job to deal with rule breakers… even if it means sentencing them to death." She let out a snort. "But since I'm actually the age I appear to be and not centuries old, the Council thinks they can bully me into being their grunt. So I do a lot of dirty work. And by that I mean blood all over my hands." She clenched her hand into a claw, her nails suddenly looking dangerously sharp and menacing.

I decided to move on, getting severely creeped out with talking about her being a killer (and she certainly looked like a cold blooded one at the moment). "So you can stay young… forever?"

"Yup. We stop aging around our… twenties? Yeah, somewhere in there. But sometimes the mature vampires look more like the adults their supposed to because time creeps into their faces and eyes, making them look a lot older than they're supposed to appear. We can live for forever… but I've never heard of a vampire that's lived since the dawn of time. We mostly get killed off by humans, or by the Flesh Eaters."

"Flesh Eaters?"

Aileen sighed and finally took the seat beside me, letting her Charas rest in her lap. Warmth emanated from her body, and I had the strong urge to cuddle her and her cushiony body like a pillow. "Demons are categorized into Flesh Eaters and Blood Drinkers. The titles imply what they consist of, the Flesh Eaters being werewolves or gremlins or something like that, Blood Drinkers being vampires, cat demons, you get the pictures. The Blood Drinkers have always been more revered and respected in society because of their close regard to blood-shed and generalized way of thinking before we act. This made the Flesh Eaters furious because of the unfair treatment and judgement, igniting a war that just keeps getting worse with the years." She rolled her eyes, gleaming like those of a cat's in the moonlight.

I swallowed, suddenly feeling constricted by the girl beside me. "How can you kill a vampire?"

"Okay, let me make this clear; contrary to the belief of pop culture, wood does not have some mystical power of the earth that kills us instantly, though it does hurt us. Hell, a stake through the heart would hurt anybody. We can get hurt just like humans can, but we heal faster. Like, a lot faster. It could take a matter of days to grow back a lost appendage." I nearly let my poker face slip with a twitch of the lip. "But if enough lethal wounds are dealt to us before we can heal, we will die. There's not _supposed _to be such a thing as immortality." Her red brows furrowed, obviously off in her own supernatural world.

"What do you mean," I began, drawing closer to her for dramatic effect. "Supposed to be?"

After staring at me for a minute and then blushing, she turned to face the weeping willow and continued. "I'm the exception to that rule apparently. No matter what wounds are dealt to me in any length of time, I don't die. I could be just a head in the ground, having my eyes gouged out, and I wouldn't die." She folded her thumbs in her lap, drawing her Charas closer to her shaking body. "Many have tried and failed to kill me. And before you ask, yes, it's because of my being the Overlord. But I can't be killed. I heal so much faster than average demons. You know how I said they can grow back a lost limb in a matter of days? Well I would be able to grow one back in a matter of hours without a scar." She shuddered.

"Has someone made you lose a limb?" I asked, suddenly feeling anger broil up in my chest. _Get it together, man._

"Yeah. More than once." She held up her left hand, examining it in the streetlight. "I lost this hand… twice? I'm pretty sure it was only twice. And look." I examined it thoroughly, looking for a crack, a scar of any kind. None. "Completely unscathed, like nothing ever happened."

It was like the world of the supernatural loomed before me like an open book, spilling dark and terrifying secrets that chilled me to the bone. She had lost her _hand_. More than once. And there was no sign of the carnage.

"Done for tonight?" She asked sardonically, raising her eyebrows. Like she could sense my fear and uncertainty.

"Yeah," I murmured, gazing down into her eyes. They were such an odd colour, but strangely beautiful. I preferred her usual gold to the flashing, demonic crimson I was faced with last night. "For tonight, anyway."

And then one of our little 'moments' happened. Staring into each other's eyes like we were the only two people in the world despite the little people crowded on Aileen's lap. Her eyes were framed by dark and heavy mascara, making them seem twice as mischievous and bigger than they really were. And in them, I could almost see the walls she was keeping up to keep everyone out, just like I was.

They say eyes are the window to the soul. If I had that in mind, I could see that Aileen's soul was blindingly bright and powerful, just like her lion's eyes. But it had its dark corners, just like anyone. She kind of reminded me of a fairy, something so swift and beautiful it was impossible to look away from, but one small thing could scare her away forever.

I tried to put a name to this feeling, the happy little flips my heart was doing from just being next to her, the way I kept wanting to get closer to her danger… Enraptured was a good one. I _was _feeling very enraptured right now, enchanted, electrified, a lot of E words.

It felt like tiny little shocks of electricity were flowing through my bloodstream, striking but surprisingly pleasant. I couldn't help the need to _touch _her. So I reached up my hand and, very gently, placed it on her face, and it was regrettable to say that I was eye-raping her.

Then with my two fore-fingers, I pulled up her upper lip, examining her teeth.

"Wai-wha-" She was so stunned she couldn't even form a proper sentence. I was too busy looking at her perfectly white, perfectly straight teeth. I could've sworn I saw them on a toothpaste ad or something before. Then the most bizarre thing happened. With my touch, her incisors lengthened and sharpened into fangs. Not the cat-like ones you see on TV, but something almost lean and reptilian. It was very creepy and surreal, and so was the way her eyes sort of melted into an orange colour, like the flame of a roaring campfire.

I had to hold myself back form flinching away from something so obviously supernatural and dangerous, like my mundane instincts screamed at me to. It felt… weird, to view myself as the vulnerable one that had to be protected. With my past, I had always thought that I had to protect those I cared about from myself. But now I was involved with something even more serious than that: a young vampire Overlord sat in front of me, fangs lengthened and eyes reddened.

"You look silly," I told her, completely contrary to my thoughts.

Irritated, she swat my hands away again, and I noticed that hers looked awfully skeletal. "Don't touch me. And I know, I'm so petite but have the glowing red eyes and fangs of a killer." I snorted.

A sudden though occurred to me, something very important that I forgot with all the overwhelming information. "Do you…" I began, dreading the answer.

She waited.

"Do you… drink blood?"

She didn't miss a beat. "No, I survive on egg nog."

"I guess it was a dumb question," I scoffed, disheartened. I don't know what I expected. Maybe she found a healthy alternative? I don't know.

"Ikuto, I don't know what you expect from a vampire," she sighed, shaking her head. "I don't know what you want me to do. Lie and say I don't drink blood? I can help it. It's what. We. Do."

I could only shake my head. Did I want her to just lie to me? …No. I didn't because I probably knew she was lying if she did. And when you looked at it like she was telling me to, it didn't seem as bad as it originally had. She can't help that she has to drink blood. She had to do it to survive. Would I rather her not and die? Absolutely not. Even though it would mean one less enemy and hindrance to me, I didn't… want her to go…

With a startled expression settled on my face, I leaned back into the bench, discarding my empty Arizona can by throwing it in the garbage can about three feet away. I was shocked at how fiercely I objected to her disappearing from my life. Wouldn't it be better if just another nuisance disappeared? If I could forget all about her and just move on with my life? That should be what I was thinking. But as I looked at her sitting next to me, staring down at her Charas with a lost and shamed look on her face like she had reason to be ashamed of what she was, I knew that I could never think that.

"Do you want to be human?" I asked her.

She was shaking her head before I even finished. "That's like if I asked you if you wanted to be a vampire. Most humans would say no because they're scared of the unknown, of what they'd have to do and how afraid they'd be. I don't want to be a human because I have never been. I have no pining for a humanity I previously had because I never had one. I may not like the fact that I have to hurt people and drink blood, but I'd rather that than go against my natural chemistry."

I could understand a bit. The idea of becoming a vampire seemed… distasteful to me. Something I'd never want to do because it was too foreign and frightening. You'd have to change the entire way you live your life. So it made sense that she didn't want to be human if that's the way she felt.

"Wait," I said, sitting straight again. "You don't like drinking blood?"

She hesitated.

"You don't have to tell me," I sighed, falling back again. I wondered why she hesitated, though.

"No, no, I will." She took a deep breath and seemed to struggled for words. "It's like… the person beside you and the vampire part of her are to different people. The me that pretends to be human has tastes, likes, feelings. But the me that sees or smells blood… it's like there's nothing else in the world but that. I lose myself. So even if I may not like hurting people, that part of me will always long to give people pain, thirst for more blood. And it will last for eternity."

And here I thought my life was a constant struggle. It was like there was two people in her one small body, struggling for ultimate control… I felt like I was in some sort of surreal drama. Hearing all this, and believing it.

"So if you don't like drinking human blood, do you pussy out and drink animal blood?" I asked, trying not to snicker.

She shot me a glare, and a laugh came out. "No, I don't 'pussy out'. God, Twilight's an awful influence. I drink blood from blood bags."

"From the Howard Hospitals?" Now it all made sense. The Howards ran a line of some of the most prestigious and advanced hospitals in the country. With their superior vampire intelligence, it was no wonder they had such supreme health care. And the extracted blood from humans every day. For food. The thought gave me the chills, and I was sort of glad I hadn't been to a hospital for anything but a check-up.

"So it is human blood," she clarified. "Just a less painful way of getting it. Animal blood wouldn't satisfy anything, and the idea is just dumb. People are only able to write about vampires drinking animal blood because they have _no idea_ how much it sucks. It doesn't quench the thirst one bit. Blood may be blood, but it's in a demon's body chemistry to drink _human _blood."

"Do you sparkle?"

"Now you're just being retarded." I burst into laughter at the look on her face. "You've seen me in the sun and I do not sparkle. The sun just makes us weaker because we're already so warm due to the excessive amount of blood pumping through our veins. Too much heat will be like sitting very, very close to an open fire for too long." She held up her hand, then, and blinked once. A small flame ignited out of nowhere, making me jump out of my seat as she stared into the flickering heat. "You will burn."

"What… how…" I couldn't seem to find my words. She made fire ignite out of nowhere. That's not normal, even for a vampire.

"I don't know." She looked honestly confused as she twirled her hand in circles, the flame slithering across her skin like a snake. "Since the time I was born, I've had the power to manipulate the elements. Over the years, I've learned to control them, so don't worry about me spontaneously combusting or something." She finished with a snort, and the flame flickered out.

"So not only fire, but also water, earth and air?" I asked, stunned at how she could be so flippant about controlling the earth's resources.

Her look darkened as she stared into the light of the street lamp, mosquitos buzzing under it. "Among others."

"Such as?"

Suddenly her phone buzzed, making her stop short and pull it out of the waistband of her leggings. She quickly glanced at the bright screen, then sighed. "I have to go. The Howards noticed I was gone for a while."

"You're a vampire Overlord, but they worry about you being out too late?" Wow. Just wow.

"I thought I told you that I'm on a lot of people's blacklists." She stood and scooped her white plastic bag off the ground, which her Charas fell off of her lap and in to. "If I'm gone for more than two hours without word, something could've happened."

"Well, see you then," I said sardonically. I was pretty sure I just got mentally flipped off. Almost positive, actually.

"Um." She looked down at me, lounging all over the bench like I owned it. Her face flushed, and her expression became flustered. "I… I don't know." Then she hurried away into the night, her head down and footsteps quick.

Staring after her retreating figure, I thunked my head back on the bench and groaned. "What am I doing?"

…

Despite all that had happened in such a short amount of time, I decided to go to school the next day. I think I needed a touch of normalcy after all this supernatural stuff just kind of shoved its way into my life and everything else seemed irrelevant. I hadn't even reported back to Easter since the incident. The Executive Director was going to be royally pissed.

With all this swirling in my head, I was hardly paying attention to my history professor, who was mumbling something about God and the like. He was probably in his forties, but his faith was insane. He was moulded according to it. He was always saying something about the Lord even if the conversation didn't consist of the topic at all. So I wasn't the only one not paying attention, since we had all heard it before.

But then he said something like, "But just as the almighty Lord exists, the epitome of light and power, the darkness must as well. The demons have been around just as long as the beings of grace, equally as powerful, but many times more dangerous."

My head snapped up from gazing absentmindedly out the window, finding shapes in the clouds completely forgotten.

Professor Refilia was pacing at the front of the room, right in front of the chalkboard with a scarily detailed drawing of an angel and demon having a face-off. He seemed more nervous and flighty than usual, his eyes glassy and glancing around crazily. _Maybe he finally found out that the missus doesn't believe in the power of God… or being faithful. _

"That doesn't necessarily mean that they are the bat-winged, fanged beings of modern pop culture," he scoffed, scratching at his salt and pepper hair distractedly. "Demons are inside all of us, the darkness that we fear and shun. They are the embodiment of negativity, the downfall of all humans. Anger, hatred, fear… all of those emotions give them power. Strength. Strength to overrun the light and completely crush it like a bug."

Shudder. Little did anyone in this room know that demons did really exist, that they were walking among us every day. Like he could tell what I was thinking, Professor Refilia whipped his head up to look straight at me, eyes wild.

"Anyone you know could be touched by one of these demons," he said, striking me right to my core. _What the actual fuck? _"You must always keep your faith. They fear the light and the power of the holy. As long as you keep sending your prayers to God, they will not touch you."

Bullshit. I didn't believe in God… or used to. What kind of god would do something to a kid like what happened to me? I never believed in Him because of what happened… but now, what did I know? Demons existed. Does that mean that God does, too?

Just then, the bell rang, interrupting Professor Refilia's and my stare off. The students all shuffled and scraped back their chairs to leave, and before I could do the same, Refilia called out to me.

"Ikuto Tsukiyomi," he said, his voice sounding strangely rough and… hissing. "May I see you in my office for a moment?"

Slinging my bag over my shoulder, I nodded at him. Following the sea of students, all laughing and heading towards the dining hall for lunch, Refilia lead me down the long hallway with the polished wooden floor to his office. No students stopped for their lockers since they were all downstairs and the classes were upstairs, along with the principal's office and the teacher's offices. So while everyone herded downstairs, Refilia and I were left alone, walking down the strangely eerie hallway. Finally we reached his office, and the door opened with a resonating creak.

I don't know why, but his office seemed so… dark. And foreboding. There was no lights on, not even from the windows, since the curtains had been pulled over them. After I entered, he shut the door behind him and pulled out a wooden chair for me to sit on. I gingerly plopped down in it, wondering what he wanted. Probably to chirp me for not paying attention.

…Which I would usually think, if he wasn't striding around the room, examining the paintings of angels cutting demons down and chuckling under his breath. Something felt wrong. With his lecture topic and odd behaviour, it was obvious to see that something was off… but what?

"Ikuto Tsukiyomi," he said, so suddenly I jolted. He turned towards me then, and my eyes widened in shock. His eyes were not the usual stormy, old gray that I was so used to glaring at me. Instead they were a solid mix between neon yellow and green, unnaturally big, and facing opposite directions.

"Uh." Was all I could say.

"You have been Touched by one of them," he snickered, his voice definitely sounding more like a hiss. "Your faith is dismal, if not non-existent. And that will be your downfall."

Touched? What did that mean? Suddenly, with a snap of his fingers (that had now grown these… _claws…_), four very tight leather bands curled around my wrists and ankles, tying me to the chair.

"What the _hell?_" I demanded, both to offend him and to demand what was going on. I tried using all the strength in my body to tear free, but the bindings wouldn't budge. Not even a centimeter. What was going on? Why did he look so strange, and act like he was…

Then it hit me. He was acting like he was… _possessed. _

"You have been Touched," he repeated, strolling over to a certain object mounted on the too dark wall. It was a sword, I realized with horror, with a hilt in the shape of a cross. He snatched it from its mount, breaking the wooden arms, and unsheathed it with a foreboding _xing._ "And I must purify you."

He began approaching me, laughing manically at what he was about to do. I struggled uselessly, wondering idly who he really was and why he was doing this. The office was too dark… too restricting… and before I knew it, he loomed before me, eyes bulging out of his head, skin fading into an indigo colour, and point of the blade poised right over my heart.

It felt kind of surreal, really. I didn't think anything like _I'm going to die, _or _so this is it._ All I could think was that my stomach was growling in the midst of all this.

Good thing, too, because just before he pulled his arm back to plunge the blade into my chest, a figure burst through the window, making sunshine spill into the room and glass scatter everywhere like falling stars.

He… _It… _was clearly baffled, for It whirled on the intruder, blade slack at his side. I sat there, feeling more like I was watching a movie in first person perspective than literally having a front row seat to the live action.

Very slowly, Aileen rose from her crouch on the floor, the sun igniting her hair like flames. She was in her uniform, so she obviously just came from school. How did she know I was in trouble? And how did she know where my school was?

Scarlet strands of her hair fell into her narrowing eyes as she assessed the scene before her. "How interesting," she started in a growl. "That someone being possessed by a demon is chastising someone for simply being Touched by one."

I wanted to laugh at Its expression. "Oh, Overlord of the Night," he hissed, crouching as his back began shuddering and changing its shape. "What a… pleasant surprise."

Aileen began striding toward him, looking ready to kill. I wanted to clap. "Reptilia. I wish I could say the same, but sadly, you're trying to Claim one that I have Touched."

The demon's expression spelled all kinds of _shit. _"You're the one who… Touched him?" You could almost hear the _fuck! _"Oh. Oh my, I had no idea."

She rolled her eyes. "You would've tried to devour him even if you had, Reptilia. That's what pathetic lizards do."

Just as she said that, the body of my professor seemed to explode, leaving a six foot indigo lizard standing on its hind legs in his place. His odd coloured eyes bulged out of his head like a chameleon's, and multi-coloured neon spikes had sprouted from his back, leading all the way down to his swishing tail.

"Please," the demon begged, surprising me. This totally weird thing begging at a teenage ginger's feet. Now I was beginning to question if this was all just a nightmare. "Reserve judgment. I had no idea that he was yours."

"I'm nobody's," I interjected, earning a glare from Aileen and hungry stare from Reptilia.

"You tried to take what's mine," Aileen hissed, showing fangs. "And you must be punished."

Then she held out her hand, palm facing outward. Her eyes began to fade into a kind of milky yellow colour, like a… banana popsicle. This weird mist began coming out from her hand, and judging from the way the temperature in the room dropped about ten degrees, it was… frost.

And suddenly, like an explosion, frost covered the windows, the cracks in the floor. And very large and sharp icicles pierced through his body, the points at the center, like one of those rubber spiky balls that they use for dog toys. A weird noise came out of my mouth, a mix of a scream and a shocked gasp. Blood burst from its body, splattering the walls, floor, and… me. Oh, gross, Not that I was scared of blood, but this seemed more like black ooze than anything.

A frosty wind blew around the room, making me shiver. Aileen didn't even flinch as she hurried over to me and sliced through the leather straps with her lethally long nails. Once I got up, my legs shaky and covered in muck, she began heading for the window like she expected me to follow.

Very dumbly, I mumbled, "You just made my professor explode."

"He would've killed you if I didn't." She hefted herself out of the window, stood on the cill, coiled up her legs, and leapt up to the roof. I knew I was supposed to follow, but Yoru wasn't here, the flake. I'd just have to rely on my human strength. I mimicked her actions, but barely managed to grab the ledge with my human strength. I stuck my feet in the cracks of cement between the bricks of the building, then climbed it like a rock climbing wall.

Aileen waited patiently with her arms crossed, and I didn't like having to be the weak one who needed to be waited for. It made me feel… unmanly.

"Okay," I began, dusting myself off. "Mind telling me what that was about?"

She heaved a heavy sigh. "This is why I wanted to erase your memory. You've been Touched by me."

"Sounds awesome."

Her face flushed. "Not like that. Once a demon makes you aware of the supernatural world, you become touched with knowledge. Knowledge is a curse in the world of demons. It's like a signal that you're a human up for grabs, then other demons will try to Claim you, which means they steal you away from the one who's Touched you and devour you. A demon had possessed your professor even before we met, and when I Touched you, he began shedding his human guise."

"How did a demon possess him? He was a strong believe in God or whatever."

She shrugged. "Faith can't save you when you're emotionally distraught. He found out his wife was cheating on him."

Knew it. "And you knew to save me… how?"

She looked away for a moment, towards the endless expanse of blue sky and the shining sun. When she looked back, her eyes looked kind of sorrowful, yet filled with wonder. "I don't know. I was just sitting in my Science class when I felt something. Something telling me you were in trouble. So I rushed over and what do you know." She shook her head and began walking towards me. "That's it. I'm erasing your memory."

I backed away. "No you're not."

"Are you trying to tell a vampire Overlord what she can and can't do?"

"I don't want my memories erased." I crossed my arms over my chest in defiance, the small silver crosses on my sleeves jingling in the breeze. "It feels weird. And besides…" This time it was me who approached her, a belligerent smirk on my face. "I don't want to forget such a big part of your life."

Her face looked like it was about to explode it was so red. "Even if it costs you your life?"

"Even if."

"You're a member of Easter." She crossed her arms back, eyebrows furrowing in suspicion. "I have no doubt that you'd use this against me."

"This and that are two completely different things." She was shaking her head, and I made a sound of irritation low in my throat. "Just as I'm a member of Easter, you're a Guardian. You're my enemy, too, you know."

"And you're letting your enemy put you in danger? That doesn't make sense."

"I'm not talking about this anymore." In truth, I had no idea why I wanted to keep her secret. It felt so natural, knowing her most deepest, darkest secret, like I was always meant to meet her and find out about it. Like it was… fate.

Aileen dropped her hands, and I dropped mind. It must have been a trick of the eyes or a strand of her hair, but I could've sworn I saw a flash of red zing between our left hands.

"Fine." She huffed, whipping her head around so she didn't have to look at me. She was infuriating.

She had just killed someone in front of me, and yet… I didn't want her to go. I noticed her Charas weren't even with her. It was just us. Just us…

"I have to get back to class," she groaned, face-palming. "I kind of just bolted up and left without a word. That's another detention for me."

I snickered. "I barely go. Take a lesson from me."

"Thanks, but I want to actually take my life somewhere." With that, she started heading towards the ledge of the roof, towards the sunshine. I stared at her back, and in that moment, she seemed like a red-haired angel, going back to Heaven where she belonged. Away from me and who I was.

But then she turned back, uncertainty all over her face. "See you… soon?"

I smirked. "Maybe."

She was shaking her head as she leapt off the roof, red hair flying up behind her like a fountain of blood.

A smile was on my face as I began heading back inside, preparing to go to class just like any other day, and maybe actually listen this time.

Then a sudden thought occurred to me. How was I going to explain Refilia's office?

_**Taadaa, finally done! The ending was totally cheesy, I know, but I had to do it. It was too tempting. But anyway, I'm so sorry the chapter took so long. Like I said, I had a lot of stuff to deal with, work to do, guys to crush on… Ugh, being a teenager. **_

_**ANYWAY. Please tell me what you think! I'm pretty sure the next chapter will just be the chronological episode in the anime after episode twelve, it depends. I have to re-watch it. But you know how I love my reviews, and I always look forward to them.**_

_**By the way, I was listening to some music on my iPod and found some songs that describe the characters. Here are some I came up for Aileen and Ikuto.**_

_**Aileen: Trip Innocent Of D, Larval Stage Planning (Japanese); Bulletproof, La Roux (Enlgish)**_

_**Ikuto: Heart In A Cage; The Strokes (English)**_

_**Both: I Hate Everything About You; Three Days Grace (English)**_

_**No banter this time, just me mumbling on. Anyway! I hope I didn't lose any viewers with the super late chapter… If I did I'll lapse into a depression. No joke.**_

_**See y'all next time!**_


	14. Chapter 14

_**Hey everybody! Oh my God, Christmas is coming up soon (for those who celebrate it)! I'm so excited, I love the winter (completely contrary to my male lead in my original story, Mattias)! I might do an original bonus chapter just for the holiday, it depends on if anyone is interested in that or not *shrug*. Just let me know!**_

_**Crimrose4all: "There, now Ikuto knows your secret and he's not going to tell. Do you feel better now?"**_

_**Aileen: "How could you do that to me? You ruined my life again."**_

_**Crimrose4all: "All in good fun."**_

_**Aileen: "It really wasn't."**_

_**Tadase: "Oh, what are you two talking about?"**_

_**Aileen: "UH."**_

_**Crimrose4all: "Girl stuff. Not for you."**_

_**Tadase: *Smiles* "I'm sorry I didn't mean to intrude."**_

_**Crimrose4all: *Gives Aileen withering look* "I bet the guilt's eating you alive, fraternizing with the enemy."**_

_**Aileen: "It really is."**_

Chapter XIV: Where The Snow Blows, Betrayal Flows

"Heeheehee."

"Tadase, can we wake her up now? This is starting to get really creepy."

Voices were echoing over my head as my pleasant cat nap was disturbed. It was so nice out, under the gazebo and on my favourite couch, in my perfectly worn in spot with pink lemonade beside me. I had no idea how this day could get any better. Well, maybe if my dream about dramatic cats continued.

But I felt a little shake on my arm, and heard Nadeshiko's voice calling, "Aileen, lunch is over now. Time to go to class."

I groaned and shoved my head into a throw pillow, not even bothering to mutter something like "five more minutes". I wanted to stay like this for hours.

"She laughs in her sleep," Kukai snickered, and I could tell even in my groggy state that he was holding back from going into a full-on laughing fit. "That's so weird. Who _laughs _in their sleep?"

Snapping up from my napping position to a sitting one, I yelled, "Someone who is having a hilarious dream about cats!"

And then the laughing fit began, and Yaya joined in with him as I huffed and crossed one leg over the other, trying to preserve some of my dignity. My Charas were busting a gut themselves, apart from Scarlet who was staying home today. I flicked them all on their foreheads, which only made them continue to laugh and start to cry.

"Don't forget," Nadeshiko began, and I turned to face her begrudgingly. "Our English class is combining with the other juniors and seniors to discuss the upcoming ski trip."

"Ugh," I cussed, throwing my head back. "Just thinking about it gives me reason to believe that something is going to go wrong."

"Only if you see the glass half empty," Tadase smiled.

Guilt panged in my chest, even though I was still _slightly _pissed about the Dark Heart thing. Here he was, being totally trusting of me and even crushing on a Character Transformed me, and I'm off telling the enemy my deepest, darkest secret and even saving him from impending doom. If that wasn't traitorous, I don't know what was. And for some reason, it seemed like Tadase had a personal grudge against Ikuto. If he ever found out what I had done…

I shook my head, and the cobwebs out with it. He wouldn't find out. I wouldn't let him. Ikuto was in enough danger; I didn't need Tadase knowing about the supernatural as well.

Speaking of, I was highly opposed to going on this ski trip for a few nights. I was leaving Ikuto alone here without any protection whatsoever from the Council, or demons that were attracted to his Touched status. I couldn't do that; what if I came home and… never saw him again?

The very thought deprived me of any air.

But he was a big boy, and had a strong Character Transformation. Couldn't he take care of himself? I shouldn't be so worried about him. But why… whenever I thought about him not being around anymore because of me made me feel as if a piece of my heart had been torn out and stomped on repeatedly, then fed to feral cats. His existence… just meant so much. What could this mean?

_Sounds like your friend is in love._

Pssh, yeah right. I was pretty sure I was incapable of such a feat, and even if I was, it wouldn't be with him. I was sure of that.

"Well, let's go then," I said, standing and making sure my skirt wasn't flipping up anywhere. Everyone grinned at me, but Yaya was still looking down in the dumps because her grade didn't get to come on the trip. We promised to bring her back some souvenirs.

But my heart was heavy as we left that garden, the thought of leaving Ikuto weighing on my mind like a freaking anvil.

…

Have I ever mentioned that I hated public transit? Well, I'm mentioning it now.

Crescent Academy had rented a large Greyhound to transport us to the ski lodge, which was horrifying enough. A bunch of human teenagers trapped together on a large bus in the middle of nowhere? It was like an all-you-can-eat buffet to someone like me (you know, if I drank blood from the source). Add that on top of the grimy germs that had accumulated on this bus over time? I was dying in my window seat, right next to Nadeshiko, giggling with her other friends in the class (I felt like such a loser).

My head was pressed against the window, watching the scenery fly by. As we travelled further up North, snow began coating the ground, clouds began to gray, and trees were stripped of their leaves. I exhaled in a sigh, and my breath fogged the window in a circular pattern. I began drawing unidentifiable shapes in it, turning out squiggly because of the bumps in the road. Worry clouded all my thoughts. Ikuto had become my responsibility after I Touched him, now I was leaving him all alone just days after. What if something came after him and he couldn't handle it? I was pretty sure this would be the longest we've been apart since we first met…

…Wait. Why was that relevant?

Nadeshiko must've noticed my distraction, because she gently nudged me and I nearly jumped out of my seat. "Something on your mind?" She asked me, cocking her head to the side.

"Um, no, not at all," I said, not very convincingly. She could see in my eyes that something was on my mind. That I was worried. That I was… feeling weird.

Tingly. Warm. Excited. Just from thinking about the first day Ikuto and I met, when I accidentally fell on top of him in that hole, made my heart race. I couldn't help but think every day was like the first, a new adventure, all new feelings to discover. I had no idea what was happening, why it was happening. To be honest, it was pretty fucking scary.

I heaved a sigh, then flinched when the noise caused something to rustle in my carry-on I had placed in my lap. Oh, shit, what now? I swear, if Fluffy happened to sneak into my luggage…

When I opened the flap just slightly, it wasn't my ferret (and the most adorable one ever), but Scarlet, lounging across my makeup bag like she owned the place. Anger flickered inside of me. I had told her to stay home! God forbid any of my Charas give me peace for just one day.

"What are you doing here?!" I hissed when Nadeshiko had turned away again.

She shrugged. "Something tells me that this trip isn't going to be all fun and games. You might need me."

"And what made you think that? You were _supposed _to be keeping an eye on Ikuto." Fine, I admit, I was worried enough to send someone to stalk him, but what else could I do.

"I'm aware. But I sense no danger near him. However, what I sense near you is an entirely different story."

Ran poked her head out next to Scarlet's. _Son of a bitch. _"What kind of danger?"

Scarlet's bloody eyes narrowed. "Something around you hasn't been right for quite a while. I feel like… there's a traitor in your midst."

I was instantly on high alert. "A traitor? Who?"

"I'm not sure," she mumbled while shaking her head. "But… something is going to go wrong on the excursion. I'm positive."

Great. Just another reason for me to be on edge. 'Cause that _totally _won't attract the Guardians' attention at all. Especially with Nadeshiko constantly being beside me.

My eyes narrowed as I stared out the window at the completely snow covered landscape. _What am I going to do?_

…

"Oh, God bless we're finally here," I breathed as we were herded off the bus, breathing in the mountainous air. I felt awfully bulky in my ski jacket and snow pants (like a big, fat, burnt marshmellow) but I had to keep up appearances (if I didn't faint from heat stroke).

I'd never been to a ski lodge before. But from the looks of it, it was pretty swanky. Snow covered every inch of the mountain, glistening in the sun like microscopic diamonds. Fir and pine trees created a dense forest, the kind that was dark and easy to get lost in. There were a lot of people here already, skiing and laughing and riding the lifts, and I frowned at the large crowd. The lodge itself was a giant, lovely looking log cabin, smoke billowing out of a long chimney. It reminded me of Christmas, and I suddenly craved hot chocolate and gingerbread men.

"WHOA, THIS IS AWESOME!" Kukai yelled right beside me, making me unabashedly fall over in the snow. I'm pretty sure I created steam with its cold and my body heat.

"Oh, sorry, Howard," he chuckled as he tried to heft me up. "I didn't think I was that loud."

"Of course you didn't."

"But doesn't this look great?! I go skiing here every year with my brothers, and it never ceases to amaze me." He grinned at the sunny sky and laughing children. "The mountains have a great atmosphere. Sometimes I wish I could live here."

That put the image of Kukai yodeling in my head on a mountain peak. I couldn't stop the laugh that burst from my mouth.

"What's funny?"

"You. Did you go on this trip last year?"

"Hell yeah I did. I never miss the chance for sports," he chortled, earning an eye roll from me.

"You two," Nadeshiko scolded, coming up behind us. "Stop flirting." Then she glared pointedly at me. I snickered. As if.

"You know what I wanna try while we're here?" I asked. They waited. "I want to roll down the slopes and see if I turn into a giant snow ball."

"YES! Put that on the itinerary." Kukai and I high-fived, or at least tried to in our massive gloves.

Nadeshiko rolled her eyes, but was also trying not to laugh. Tadase chose to join us at that moment, laughing together at my stupidity.

"Whoa, what did I miss?" He asked with his nice little grin.

My laughter ceased, and I had to look away guiltily. I wasn't sure if I'd be able to look him in the eye anymore. "Oh, um…"

"Aileen's wacked," Kukai chortled, earning a glare from me. "No wonder you dig Dark Heart."

Tadase fumbled for words, his face on fire. I looked to the ground, grinning an evil, evil smile like the Cheschire cat. _Kukai, you will die a slow, painful death. _

"What… did I miss?" Nadeshiko asked, looking at me innocently. Then I felt sort of bad about not telling her anything. All these secrets piling up in darkness was beginning to gnaw at my chest. For some reason, I felt like some sort of secret slut.

"Nothing much," I said, mouthing to her that I'd tell her later. She nodded, but looked a little bit sad.

Son of a bitch, do I have to ruin everyone's life?

Our instructor showed up at the perfect time, grinning like she was being forced. She looked pretty… in a nerdy kind of way. I could see some guys drooling a bit.

"Welcome to Summit Ski Lodge!" She said, with a high-pitched voice that made me think she should be chewing pink bubble gum and be curling her blonde hair around one finger. "Before we begin with anything, I'd like to lead you to your lodge so you can unpack, and then I'll bring you to the ski shed! So, let's head out! My name is Sandy, and I'll be helping you along the way!" Of course she had a name like that.

We marched along the snow, our heavy boots sinking in it easily. The air smelt fresh, like that of a mountain, and coniferous trees. And Kukai's… cologne? Oh my God, he wears cologne. It smelt awesome. He seemed so much more mature than Tadase, trailing beside me with his breath coming out in white, puffy clouds. But less mature than Ikuto, with his tall lanky frame and attitude problem.

Oh… maybe I was becoming a slut. Damn.

After a long walk (or at least it seemed that way) through the snow, the lodge finally stood before us, in its cabin-like beauty. I could see through the frosted windows, which showed adults and children shuffling around, reading, or drinking hot chocolate while chatting. It seemed very homey. Sandy hustled us inside, and we were greeted with a blast of nice, warm air.

Immediately, we stripped off our coats (I felt like I was dying), boots, and all other winter gear. Some people collapsed on couches with sighs, others went straight to their rooms. But Sandy came up to us before we could do anything.

"You're the Guardians, correct?" She asked, fake smile still in place. She probably thought we were a bunch of brats from a student council.

"Yes, we are," Tadase said with a genuine grin. Sandy's face flushed. Aaaand we have yet another Tadase fangirl. Greeeeaaaat. For some odd reason, that made me… a bit angry. Huh.

"You have rooms of your own," she explained, with a genuine smile now. "In a separate hall." Now I _felt _like some student council brat. "I'm supposed to take you there."

And then she lead us down a hall with polished, almost golden looking wood, completely different from the homey lounge with bookshelves, small couches, and loveseats. There were pots of arranged flowers, sitting on top of elegant mahogany tables. I felt so different and ostracized from the normal students. But the other Guardians seemed completely used to the royal treatment (snicker snicker).

Nadeshiko and I were roomies, with Tadase and Kukai right beside us. Sandy gave Tadase a suggestive grin (cougar?) but he looked completely oblivious. Which lead me to believe that Kukai was telling the truth when he said Tadase knew nothing about romance. Now I felt even more guilty for flipping out on him before when he literally knew that he did nothing wrong.

Once entering our room, my mouth nearly dropped. Why in the _world _would they let teenagers have a room like this? It looked like a five star hotel! The floors were the same polished gold as the hallway, but some plush, vanilla bean coloured carpets that looked soft enough to sleep on were rested just below the beds. Which were double sized (did they think we'd be bringing guys in here to get all hanky panky?) and covered with dark blue duvet covers, sheets, pillows, throws, and… complimentary mints?! What the _fuck_!

Warm sunlight spilled in from a window spot in the middle of the room, about two meters wide, just above two more mahogany bedside tables with pamphlets and more mints on them. The room itself smelt like air freshener, and there were ornate paintings hanging up on the wall. I couldn't take the elegance. My room couldn't even begin to compare.

"Swanky," Nadeshiko said, the first modern-sounding word I ever heard from her.

"I'm scared of sleeping on the bed and ruining it," I gasped, staring at it in horror.

"Let's just sleep on the carpet."

"Agreed."

We unpacked our things into the mahogany bureaus, being careful not to really… touch… anything… because we were afraid we'd break something and have to pay for it (which wasn't really a problem for either of us, but our parents would beg to differ). Nadeshiko's eyebrows shot up when she saw me pull out my fragrances (about ten… and that's just my travel pack) and makeup (not only do red eyelashes just look plain weird, but if I went without makeup, I'm sad to say I wouldn't look human at all). I just waved my hand flippantly.

We finally finished, then fixed our mussed hair. I fishtailed Nadeshiko's almost indigo locks, and pulled her long bangs away from her face so she could see out of her goggles. Then I di

d the same to myself.

"Where did you learn all this stuff?" She asked.

"Youtube." I spent hours on tutorials on doing makeup and hair and such, so I could look properly like a human teenager. It still doesn't seem to be going well for me.

Afterwards, we met up with Tadase and Kukai outside our rooms and left for the lounge together, where the rest of the students were gathered. After waiting for the last few then taking attendance, Sandy began her ramble on safety, the proper way to wear gear, how to stop, the lifts… all that jazz. I was barely listening. Wondering how things were going back home…

Then before I knew it, everyone was getting on their gear and we were heading outside. I jumped in all of my stuff, still dazed, and accidently fell backward into Tadase's arms, like a trust exercise.

"Whoa, you okay?" He asked, chuckling.

My face flamed. He must actually be pretty strong if he could hold me up in all of this. "Yeah, sure," I said, pushing myself back up. It was going to be a rough trip.

Outside, there was a noteworthy absence of the usually fumbly Nikaidou. I wondered where he went off to, just leaving us with the art and science teacher chaperones. I would've thought that he would never miss the chance to see students messing up and looking like fools. Weird.

We were taught the proper stance, position, and how to speed up or slow down. It was a relatively eventful workshop, but I was still oblivious to some of it. I had never been skiing before. Granted, I couldn't die or something from falling off the mountain, but it'd still hurt. I was freaking out a tad.

Scaring me, Tadase suddenly said from beside me, "Is this your first time skiing?"

I felt like an idiot. "Yeah."

"Don't be scared," he said encouragingly, his maroon eyes shining in compassion. "I'll stay with you the whole time if you want. I'm a blue square, so you'd probably be a green circle." When he saw the blank look on my face, he elaborated. "Green circle is easy, blue square is medium, and black diamond is hard. The hills and speeds vary depending on what symbol you are. So you'd start on green circle, okay?"

I nodded, getting the basic concept. "So I'd start on…" My eyes searched until I found the nearest hill with a green circle symbol. It was titled Pooh Bear. _Fuck me._

He was trying not to laugh. "Don't worry, you'll have me teaching you." His eyes glinted, with a hidden challenge. _Hoo damn, Kiddy King isn't as childish as he lets on. _"When you get to my level, you can challenge me… if you're up for it."

He did _not _just challenge me. My mouth spread into a baffled grin, then I said, "You're on."

Tadase was surprisingly helpful when teaching me to keep my stance straight and with turns (which weren't really needed on the Pooh Bear hill). It didn't take long, with my learning capabilities and super strength, to get up to the blue square level. He was clearly impressed.

"You weren't even Character Changed," he commented, eyes glinting with respect.

I grinned, showing off too-pointy teeth. "You bet! I'm a fast learner."

It was almost discreet, but he slid a bit closer to me. "In more ways than one."

_Whoa, hang on, was _the _Tadase Hotori hitting on me? AHH!_

Ruining this surprising little moment was some girls in our class squealing, "Ah! It's Tori Mihuyu!"

…Who?

A girl on a snowboard slid up to us, spraying snow right in Saaya's face (I don't even know who this chick is, but she's already awesome). She had a huge, genuine grin plastered on her face, and when she removed her goggles, I could see that it even reached her eyes. Her hair was shoulder-length, brown, and tied into a side ponytail with seemingly indigo eyes. She seemed about as tall as me, maybe taller.

"Oh, my, it's a pleasure," Tadase said to her, his face giving away his amazement.

"Ahaha, no need to be formal!" She laughed, slapping him on the back like they were old time friends.

With a genuinely baffled expression, I asked, "Who are you?"

I think I just shot an invisible arrow through her chest.

Tadase couldn't help but laugh. "Miss Howard, this is Tori Mihuyu. She's the youngest top boarder in the world, and she's expected to win the upcoming competition being held here in two days. She's a prodigy."

"Now, now, I wouldn't go that far," she grinned. "I'm still learning more every day! But it's awesome to meet someone who knows of me." A pointed look in my direction.

I grimaced. "Sorry, I don't know much about celebrities."

"Even though you're kind of one?" She chuckled. "You're Aileen Howard, aren't you? The eldest daughter of Howard Industries?"

"Yeppers, that's me," I grinned.

"It's an honour to meet _you_. I've been to your hospital a lot of times from boarding accidents." She went into a full blown laughing fit, while I faded into the background with faint giggles. "Anyway, I'll be practicing today and tomorrow. You guys should come check it out!"

"For sure." She held up her fist for a pump from me and Tadase. We returned the gesture, and she slid off.

Students were looking at us in amazement.

Great. Yet another way to stand out from the rest.

Ran, Miki, and Su popped out from my hood. "Good thing we hid. She might've seen us."

I cocked my head to the side, spilled my fishtail on them. "What do you mean?"

Su grinned from ear to ear, looking like the cutest little Swiss girl. "She's about to create an egg."

I immediately thought of a chicken with her face plastered on it popping an egg out. Then I burst into a fit of hysterical laughter.

"That's great news!" Tadase said excitedly. "She's a very bright person. This will be a strong egg. Strong… yes, very strong…" He trailed off, reminding me of Kiseki.

"You okay there, King?" I asked, flopping on the ground so he was looking down at me.

His face flushed, and I got the satisfaction of making the oblivious Tadase blush. "Oh, um, yes. I was just thinking… maybe she could become a Guardian. Or at least help us out. When her egg hatches."

I smiled. "That's a good idea."

"Whoa!" Kukai yelled, suddenly sliding to a stop beside me. "You two are going to melt the snow with all this flirting."

"Mister Souma!"

"Kukai, no. Bad."

…

I couldn't get any sleep that night. It was already past midnight, and I had pulled my blood bottle out of the bag and chugged it down. It slid down my throat coldly, and I wrinkled my nose in distaste. I hated cold blood.

The snow was blowing madly outside, not so much a storm as Mother Nature having a mood swing. Besides the wind blowing against the lodge, there wasn't a sound to be heard… well, except for Nadeshiko's steady, soft breathing. I felt so sorry for her, always getting trapped in a room with a vampire.

White was pouring in the window, blinding from all the snow outside. The bed was extremely comfortable, and Ran, Miki, and Su were snoring softly from beside one of the feather pillows. Scarlet chose to take the carpet, making me afraid of stepping on her, but whatever floats her boat.

I was still thinking (cough, worrying, cough) about Ikuto and if he was safe. How I felt the separation of us deep in my chest, almost like an actual physical pain. It was awful.

To get my mind off of things, I decided to take a walk outside. If Nadeshiko happened to wake up, she'd probably think I was just going to the bathroom. I wasn't worried about the dangers outside; what, with my weather-resistant body and extreme strength. I only put on a light jacket and my snow boots, slipped on jeans, then headed out creeped out of our room, delicately closing the door behind me. Then I creeped down the hallway, so quiet I could've been one of the shadows. Without a hitch, I eased open the lodge door and slipped outside.

The wind wasn't as bitter and strong as I thought it would be. Instead, the snow was falling just lightly, like sparks of white magic falling from the sky to bless the earth. When I exhaled, my breath came out in a super cloud from all the heat trapped in my body. It was so pretty out here, on an actual mountain, compared to the normal winters in Larkin. I was just about to take a long walk when Scarlet appeared in front of me, holding…

The book.

I snatched it out of her hands. "Why do you have this?!"

She held her tiny hand up defensively. "I felt like you'd need it."

"Nobody needs this- this- _thing,_" I finished dumbly. "This book is evil, and why would I want to go parading outside with it anyway?"

Scarlet shrugged, swishing her little black tail in irritation. "I don't know. I just get the feeling. You'll need it. _Tonight. _Because something is out there." With a sweeping gesture, she pointed to the coniferous forest.

Something out there? That didn't sound good. My eyes went steely and shoulders stiff as I thought of some sort of demon, ravenous and so close to this many humans at once. If that was the case, I would vanquish it. I would protect everyone.

Grudgingly, I shoved the book inside my jacket, its peculiar little heat throbbing against my chest. Then I began trudging through the snow, more determined to push through that forest than ever.

To be perfectly frank, I felt like Snow White wandering aimlessly through the dark forest. It was eerily silent, the only sound to be heard the faint crunching of snow underneath my boots. The scenery was the perfect place to paint a picture, with the bare trees elegantly sheathed in powdery white. The moon peeked through the naked, twisted branches, illuminating the untouched snow and making it sparkle.

I did like snow; you could say I loved it, even. It always made everything seem much more peaceful and romantic than rain or something. I could completely picture a couple huddling together for warmth. That, and Christmas. Besides Halloween, that was by far my favourite time of year. I don't know why; it's celebrating the birth of Jesus. But something about the holiday makes me feel less alone than usual. Maybe because it was all about getting family together.

Idly, I thought about how Christmas this year was going to go. I tended to drift away from the Howards, careful not to disturb the gatherings of their real family, and spent it by myself. But this year, I have my beloved Charas, and even some new friends. Maybe we'd get together or something. That'd be nice.

While I was thinking about all of this, my pace automatically quickened to a more vampire speed, leading me out of the forest before I knew it. God bless. That was getting _too _creepy for me. I stretched my arms high above my head, heaving a yawn and catching some snowflakes in my mouth. A quick glance around proved that nothing was around, but then I saw it.

A dark figure, standing a fair distance away from the forest. It looked human from where I stood, but who would be out this late? And they were just wearing a long black trench coat, no heavy winter gear whatsoever. If that wasn't enough proof, what I was about to do was going to be.

I Shadow Swarmed so I was standing directly behind the figure, eyes narrowed and beginning to heat up. Scarlet went for cover in my hood, not afraid, but not wanting to witness the confrontation. I took a single step closer to them, and they turned around to stare at me.

_Oh. What a pleasant surprise. It is a very hot man!_

His skin could've blended in with the snow, it was so pale. The complete opposite of his hair, so dark not even the moonlight dared to tough it. He was tall, very tall, maybe six foot four, making me look like a dwarf in comparison. He was dressed in all black, the trench coat, dress shirt, jeans, Doc Martens, you name it.

But his face was definitely the most attention grabbing. It was all sculpted angles, strong and jutting out here and there, creating shadows and contrasts, like he himself was a piece of artwork. But his _eyes. _They were hypnotizing. They were a flashing, beautiful red, somehow richer a colour than fresh blood, but not so bright to be considered like a firetruck. They were darker on the outside, fading into a bright red right around the pupil. Clearly not human. But… they didn't look hostile. Maybe a bit… troubled.

"Hello," he said, his voice sounding like a hand swishing over silk. It sent shivers down my spine.

"Hello," I repeated, staring at him. "Would you care to tell me why you are so close to a lodge packed full of humans?"

"Huh?... Oh," he mumbled. He seemed really out of it. When he shook his head, his dark hair fell into his eyes even more than it already was. "No, I wasn't planning to attack, if that's what you mean. I'm around here because my castle is in the distance."

Whoa. Royalty.

"And you are…?" I prodded.

He nodded at my bravery, speaking to royalty like he was my equal. "Prince Tallyn," he responded. "Of the Shadow Dragons."

I sucked in a breath. The Shadow Dragons. The darker, more fierce elemental dragons, compared to light, fire, water, air, earth, ice, and lightning. Very powerful, very strong. They tended to feed on humans, as most dragons do, but they do it for enjoyment and destruction. Their powers were immense, and something to be feared. And I was face to face with their prince (their very attractive prince). I didn't like the looks of this.

"I'm… Aileen Vartiter," I said, more out of politeness than wanting him to know my name.

"I know," he nodded. "This generations' vampire Overlord. A force to be reckoned with." His mouth twitched, and I would like to say it was an almost smile, but his eyes were colder than the snow that surrounded him. "Why are you here, surrounded by humans?"

I shrugged one shoulder shyly. "To blend in with human society." That got a snort out of him. "But if you're castles nearby, then why are you here instead of there?"

The wind blew more ferociously for just a moment as his eyes narrowed. Then he let up and said, "I'm looking for something."

I smiled at him. "What is it? Maybe I could help."

He seemed surprised. "This doesn't look like the infamous Aileen Vartiter I've heard about. They say that you're a merciless killer who destroyed the entire Moon Realm."

Wince. "Um, yeah, that may be true, but…" I trailed off, staring into the snowy landscape. "People can change."

Almost imperceptibly, he nodded. "I see. Anyway, I'm looking for the Ice Lotus."

I cocked my head to one side. "What's that?"

He heaved a heavy sigh. "It's a flower that can bloom even in the coldest conditions. Its colour is a vibrant, passionate red." His eyes travelled to my apple red hair. "Like your mane. Its meaning is eternal, everlasting love that never dies, just like the flower itself. It's supposed to be the rarest flower of them all, and there are only a few left in the entire world."

His expression changed, then, like the sun suddenly melting the snow with warmth and kindness. "I wish to find this flower, for I have heard there is one in the area. Normally, I would just command the servants to do it, but I want to do this myself. To prove something."

I waited for him to elaborate, eyebrows raised.

He heaved another heavy sigh, but this time it almost sounded content. "I wish to find this for my betrothed, so I can prove my love for her."

…_Oh._

_That has to be the most romantic thing I've ever heard of._

"I'd be happy to help you," I said, then I hesitated. "If you want it, that is."

He rubbed a palm over his face, clearly tired and running out of steam. "I would love to find it myself. It's what I want to do. But it's clear that I can't. My powers only go so far, and I can't risk a human seeing my transformation." His red eyes met mine yet again, looking fierce and determined. "So, if you're really willing to offer it, I would love your help. But I won't let it go unrewarded."

"Do tell."

His mouth twitched, almost a grin. "In exchange, I will give you something equally as valuable and sought after."

I grinned, flashing my fangs. "That sounds fair. I'm only here for three nights and four days, so I can only look for that amount of time."

"Then it's a bargain." He held out his black gloved hand to be shaken.

I took it firmly in my pale one and shook fiercely. "I'll do my best."

…

"Aileen, it's time to get up," Nadeshiko said the next morning, prodding me slightly.

Time to act. I faked a throaty cough, then made my voice hoarse as I said, "I don't really feel so good. I'll just… rest for a bit today, if that's alright."

Her brow creased with worry. "Oh, my, are you going to be alright?"

"Yeah, yeah… after I get some more rest. Don't worry." I faked a weak smile, just for good measure.

"If you insist." She stood from my side, still looking genuinely worried. "Feel better, okay?" I nodded, then she gently closed the door. I waited until I couldn't hear her heavy footsteps anymore, then jumped out of bed, realizing that I wasn't wearing any pants.

Well, that's embarrassing. I must've kicked them off when I slept. Thank God Nadeshiko wasn't in here. I don't know what I would've done… if she made a move…

I shook my head, not even wanting to think about it. I quickly shuffled over to the bureau, shoved my legs in some jeans, pulled my head and arms through a white tee shirt, then a leather jacket. Slipping on my snow boots that I hid in the closet, I opened the lone window in the room and escaped outside.

Some kids were passing our lodge just then, so I quickly ducked behind the nearest corner. Their laughter was echoing, so I couldn't tell whether or not they had truly passed. While I waited, I wondered how I was going to go about this. How on earth could I find such a rare flower in a big area? Maybe I could check places with higher altitudes. Or places further away from Tallyn's castle, since he had already searched there. I couldn't give up. I promised him.

The laughter had completely faded away, so I slipped out from the shadows like a snake. I should check the surrounding area of the lodge first, since Tallyn promised he wouldn't come near here.

My Charas came up beside me, grinning. "Get out of here, you guys," I cussed, rolling my eyes.

"But what if you get into trouble?" Ran demanded, looking as ferocious as a person of her stature could manage. "What if a wolf attacks you? Or a bear?!"

"I'm pretty sure bears would be hibernating up here."

"Like that matters! What if you need to Character Transform?"

I snorted. "I doubt I will."

"But there's always a chance!"

Heaving a sigh, I glared at them. "Fine. If you're so insistent on coming, you can. But nothing bad is going to happen. And even if it did, I have my own powers."

They grinned, then stuffed themselves in my pockets.

"Aileen-" Scarlet began, but I cut her off.

"Look, Scarlet, I never needed that book last night. I certainly don't need it today." With that, I set off to search for the Ice Lotus.

…

"THIS DAMNED FLOWER IS IMPOSSIBLE TO FIND!" I screamed at the top of my lungs, clinging to a large cliff.

The snow blowing in my face was slashing and bitter. I couldn't feel the cold, but the pressure was bad enough. I had been looking for hours, in the wide open mountain spaces to places like this: scaling cliffs on the mountain. I had no idea where to even begin looking. This is all seemed like a good idea at first, helping out a dragon in need, but now it was just turning out to be a huge pain in my vampire ass.

_Go help him, you said, _I self-mocked. _It's a good deed, you said. Like doing good deeds now can erase all you've done in the past. _

I shook my head quickly, not wanting to think about it.

It was getting kind of boring up here, searching for something that didn't want to be found. I made Ran, Miki, and Su wait at the bottom with my jacket because it would be far too cold for them up here. Even I was starting to get a wee chill. But barely.

I glanced up to see another rock jutting out, like a rock climbing wall. I quickly jumped over to it, almost like a reptile with suction cups on its hands. Then I began climbing the rest of the way like a true demon, relentless and speedy.

I was about to just give up when I was about fifty or sixty feet off the ground when it happened.

"Aileen," Scarlet said fiercely, poking out of my jean pocket.

I nodded. "I feel it."

A zing. Almost like crackling lightning covering the line of the cliff top. An imaginary electric fence. I could sense it.

A barrier was straight ahead. Which meant someone didn't want anyone coming up there.

My grin was feral and every bit vampire. "I don't know if it's the lotus, but we certainly found something."

But before I could even grab onto the next foothold, the same jolt of electricity shot through my entire body, shaking me so much my grip on the rocks was torn off, scraping up my hands terribly and knocking me off to fall down sixty feet or so.

It's amazing. A lot of movies show falling in slow motion, so you'd think it would be like that. Nope. It was like all the breath was stolen from my lungs, then forced down upon me in a frightening pressure so my speed would just keep increasing. And then the impact when I hit the frozen ground. An odd noise came from my throat as my very consciousness was jarred out of me in an indescribable force.

So many stars entered my vision, like a swarm of mosquitos under a street light. Then, almost as if that street light had been forced off, my vision snapped to black, and darkness completely swam over me.

It didn't seem like very long before my eyes squeezed in irritation at the sunlight, and could finally feel the melted snow seeping into my white tee shirt (oh, goddammit).

Slowly, I opened my honey coloured eyes, glazed over and tired. I was still on the ground from when I fell, staring up at the now blue sky with shining sunlight. My jacket had been thrown over me in a vain effort to keep me from getting cold, and my Charas had snuggled to my stomach under it to keep warm. I could feel them shaking on my abdomen.

I gingerly sat up and, sure enough, my back only felt a bit sore. I wasn't sure if I even had any bruises. Quickly, I shook all the snow out of my hair, which was now wet and scraggly. My Charas had gotten out from underneath my shirt to check on me.

"Are you okay?" Su asked, concern and tears brimming in her emerald eyes. "That was quite the fall."

"I'm totally fine," I smiled. "Just a bit sore. Is everyone else okay?"

"Why wouldn't we be?" Miki smiled. "Well, you know, except for having heart attacks when you suddenly fell to the ground like a ragdoll."

"It was a bit fun," I said absentmindedly, looking into the distance. The sun was way past the zenith, making me panic and search in my pocket for my cell phone which, thankfully, had been spared.

The clock read 5:17 p.m.

"FUCK!" I yelled, making the word bounce off the cliffs and resonate. "I've been gone for _hours! _What if Nadeshiko or someone came to check on me?!" Even with my vampire speed, I still felt like running would be far too slow. So I set my shoulders and took in a large breath.

"Guys, hold on to me anywhere. _Extremely tightly._" The obeyed suspiciously, Scarlet especially.

"What are you doing?" Ran asked.

I grinned. "Something I haven't done for a while."

I felt my body break into pieces, and heard my Charas scream at the top of their lungs. My vision was tainted by a red, filmy smoke, which surrounded me (or what was the concept of me) like a dark cloud. Then my vision swooped into the sky, and began zooming towards the direction of the lodge, my Charas screaming all the while.

Finally, the lodge and the billowing smoke from the chimney came into view. I slowly began falling to the ground, then merged into one whole body again, Ran, Miki, Su, and Scarlet panting and coughing.

"Wasn't that fun?" I grinned.

"Fun?" Ran demanded, aghast. "_Fun? _You call riding a bat at the speed of light _fun?! _WHAT THE HELL IS THE MATTER WITH YOU?!"

"Shadow Swarm is the quickest way," I sighed. "Besides, it's not like you fell off."

"NO ROLLER COASTER CAN EVER COMPARE TO THAT!"

Su and Miki were out cold. Scarlet was sitting on my shoulder in a daze. My day was now fulfilled.

I quickly found the window to my room and hopped in. I would go outside once I had changed clothes and find the Guardians. Hopefully they hadn't checked in on me at all. Once completely dressed in fluffy snow gear, I thundered out of the room and into the snow yet again.

They were all gathered in the distance, watching something or someone and cheering. I cocked my head to the side and marched over.

"What's going on?" I asked Nadeshiko once I had stepped beside her.

"Aileen!" She gasped, throwing her arms around me in a hug. "Are you feeling better?"

Breathe sigh of relief… now. She hadn't checked on me. "Much, after more rest," I grinned.

"The slopes too intense for ya, Chicken Nugget?" Kukai snickered.

"In your dreams, Pussy Willow."

"_Never call me that again."_

"Revenge is sweet."

Tadase didn't look happy to see me. In fact, he looked a bit worried. I eased over from Nadeshiko to stand beside him, plastering a fake smile on my face.

"What's up?" I asked him.

He lifted one shoulder (or tried to in his bulky coat) kind of shyly. "I checked on you earlier, and you weren't there. Are you sure you're okay?"

_Shit. Why can't I ever catch a break? _"Fine, totally fine. I must've been in the bathroom for a bit." An embarrassing lie, but it seemed to appease him. "Anyway, what's happening?"

He smiled. "Do you remember Tori Mihuyu?" I nodded. "Her competition's today. If she wins, she moves on to the finals!"

"For real?" My eyes automatically turned towards the competition slopes to search for her tiny, short figure. There it was, zooming and swerving like a frantic rabbit. And… she just crossed the finish line! I let out a whoop of encouragement.

"Um… what place was she?"

Tadase almost laughed. "First. Tomorrow, she's in the finals!"

We cheered for a bit with the rest of the crowd, until Tori slid over to us, a huge grin on her face. "Did you guys see that?! I blew them all away like, _whoooosh!" _I could barely contain my laughter directed at her strange character.

"I just feel so… so…" She trailed off, at a loss for words. Nadeshiko giggled and looped an arm through hers (UH OH) and we began leading her away from the screaming crowd and to her lodge.

"Congratulations!" We all said with huge smiles.

Her eyes brimmed with gleeful tears. "Thank you… I can't wait… for the finals…" The tears began sliding down her cheeks as her huge, childish grin made everything seem very dark in comparison.

Just then, a shining light erupted from her chest, shocking us all to silence. She gazed at it in wonder, then melted into horror as something slid out. Something shaped like… an egg.

My eyes glazed over in amazement.

A shining egg covered in snowflakes hovered above us, then began to crack. With a burst of nippy air and sparkles, a little eskimo-looking Chara popped out, grinning and looking frosty.

"Congratulations!" It repeated to Tori.

For a moment, nobody said anything. Then we all covered our hands over our ears just in time to miss hearing Tori's "WHAT?!", though I wasn't as lucky. The look of shock, dismay, and disbelief contorted her normally happy features, and I could see that we had a lot of explaining to do.

…

"So you see," Tadase finished as we all sipped our hot chocolate in the lodge's den, sitting around a roaring fireplace. "If you have a doubt or trouble in your heart, your Egg will become an X Egg."

Blah blah blah, I had heard it all before. If it wasn't for Tori's priceless expressions, I wouldn't have stuck around at all.

"Wait… so each one of you has a Guardian Character?" She asked, making me roll my eyes.

Tadase nodded. "And I think it's time for you to meet them." He motioned for them to come out of their hiding places, and Tori gaped at the gathering of six (seven, including hers) Charas, all grinning in comfort (except Kiseki. He looked disinterested).

The Charas introduced themselves, and then who they belonged to. When it came to Ran, Miki, and Su, Tori was clearly surprised.

"You have _three?_" She demanded. "I thought it was rare enough for your Egg to hatch at all!"

I shrugged. "I'm special. I just happen to want to be a lot of things."

Nadeshiko smiled. "That makes Aileen the Joker, or hunter of X Eggs. She finds them, then purifies them with the power of the Humpty Lock."

"What's the Humpty Lock?"

I pulled the lock from its chain, dangling under my shirt. "This is. It enables Character Transformations, which increase your power by one hundred and ten percent. There's… a matching key," I finished, looking straight at Tadase.

He flinched, looking guilty and even a bit angry. Why wouldn't he tell me that Ikuto was the owner of the key? Did he hate him that much?

The room fell eerily silent, tension weighing on our shoulders like a dark cloud. Tadase glanced at the wall clock (classic subject change) and winced. "I think it's time we all rest," he said, standing to go to his room with Kukai not far behind. "We've all had a long day, and you need some time to think all of this over."

"You can stay with us tonight, if you want," Nadeshiko offered.

Tori looked like she was about to decline, then glanced at her new Chara, Snoppe, and thought better of it. "I'd like that, thanks."

We lead her to our room, silence settling over us in an ominous storm. She hardly said a word and kept a fair distance from her Chara as we made her a makeshift bed on the carpet (lucky…). As soon as she hit the pillow, she fell fast asleep. No surprise, considering she won a huge competition then found out we have eggs in our souls (it still sounds weird to me).

Snoppe looked rather dejected. After all, his master was having trouble coping. At least she believed in him. Otherwise, he'd disappear. Ran, Miki, and Su invited him over to sleep with us. I didn't really mind; he may be a boy, but he's not a _boy. _He's like a little leprechaun. But not Irish. Or a drunkard guarding a pot of gold.

Nadeshiko looked almost sad as she gazed down at Tori. "I hope she gets used to it."

I snorted. "If I did, she can."

She grinned. "Sure enough. Now, what's been on your mind lately?"

That caught me off-guard. "H-huh?"

"It's obvious," she began explaining, like it was kind of hard not to notice. "You've been really distracted during Guardian meetings, even sleeping more than usual. You stare off into space a lot more often, and seem a lot more on edge when you're not." Her head snapped up, looking worried and extremely afraid. "Are you pregnant?"

"Hell no!" I exclaimed, then clamped a hand over my mouth. Tori didn't even stir. I removed it with a sigh. "I've just… had a lot on my mind."

Nadeshiko was quiet for a few beats. Then she took a deep breath, and asked, "Are you… in love with somebody?"

Without any hesitation, I waved my hand flippantly. "No way. I'm glad you've realized that I don't feel that way about Tadase." I laid back in my bed, folding my arms behind my head so my elbows jutted out. The only light came from the moon shining in the window. "Love isn't really my top priority now."

Ever since Ikuto found out what I was, the decision became more firm in my mind to never think about loving anyone again. It would be far too much trouble, and I already had enough to deal with. I didn't want anyone to go through trouble for me. I didn't deserve it. I couldn't let myself love anybody. Only misfortune will befall them.

She nodded, though she seemed a bit… remorseful? (Oh boy). "I understand. Being a Guardian is tough."

That wasn't really what I was talking about, but all right. I faked a yawn, just so we could go to bed. "I'm tired. I'm gonna hit the hay."

"Alright then," she whispered, laying down and closing her eyes. "See you in the morning, Aileen."

When she was almost asleep, I murmured. "Yeah. See you."

…

"Let's do this."

Once again, I stood under the light of the moon, snow softly falling from the sky. The wind wasn't as rough as this afternoon, only a light wintry breeze flowing through my hair. I scrutinized the top of the cliff. Judging from the eerie blue light glowing at the top, something was up there for sure.

I wore something a bit warmer this time, my winter coat, heavily insulated pants, and winter boots. I started steeling myself and cracking my knuckles in preparation to climb.

"Are we coming this time?" Ran asked, seeming almost eager.

"If you want to," I sighed. "I'm going to be moving very quickly, so it's unlikely you'll end up freezing."

"Something awaits up there," Scarlet murmured, gazing at the light. "They know you're here."

"They?"

She nodded. "They don't want you to find it. Their treasure."

I grinned. "They're about to get a load of disappointment, whoever they are."

Then I unsheathed my claws, dug them into the rocks, and began zooming up the side of the cliff for the second time that day. This time I held on like a parasite, so even when I felt that shock of the barrier, I didn't fall. _Not this time. _

Finally, _finally, _I reached the top. My hands grasped the edge tightly, and my Charas quivered under my jacket. Then I pulled myself up and flipped in the air, landing in the middle of…

…What the _hell? _Was this some sort of _cult_?!

A group of… I don't know what, waited for me at the top, surrounding what looked to be a red Japanese water lily. Though it was made of crystal, and shone red like a thousand glittering rubies. It gave off a red coloured aura, passionate and strong.

The things hissed, and I realized that it was a group of Snow Women. They were dressed in all white kimonos, their long, wet, black hair a stark contrast. Their skin and lips were blue, and peeling around sharp, crocodile-like teeth. They had empty white eyes, yet they still managed to glare at me. There was about ten, maybe fifteen. Damn, why was this flower so important?

I sighed, finding it clear what I had to do.

"Wait here," I said, tossing my coat and Charas behind me, not off the cliff but a safe distance away from these demons. "And whatever happens, _do not move. _Got it?" I heard their mumbled "yes". I turned slowly towards the waiting group of Snow Women, and my mouth slowly spread into a grin.

"This flower is no longer yours," I said, smirking. "It is now property of Tallyn, Prince of the Shadow Dragons. You hear?"

They hissed in response, and the snow began falling harder.

I groaned. "I really didn't want to use violence. But if you're going to be difficult…"

Clenching my fists at my sides, I closed my eyes and focused. Focused on the heat of the earth, all the lava flowing beneath it, and the very fire of emotions crackling within me. _Fire, give me strength._

Not surprisingly, I felt much hotter than usual. I opened my eyes to see everything tainted my flickering yellow, orange, and red, and my eyes glowed crimson. The Snow Women cringed and hissed away, proving that I was, indeed, on fire.

Almost sloppily, I crouched into a fighting stance. Tension was thick in the air as my opponents waited to see if they could make the first move. I could hear my Charas teeth chattering, and the flames roaring around me. Then I grinned, pure evil and all demon.

"_Burn, baby, burn!"_

I darted forward, slashing through the Snow Women and their onslaught of pitiful attacks. One put her hands to the ground and ice erupted up at me from the earth, which I easily singed through and punched a flaming hand straight through her throat. Instead of blood, the only sign of wounds was a black ooze and the way they flopped to the ground and then became nothing but a pile of powdery snow, blown away by the fierce wind.

This cycle continued, and I almost felt like laughing with the exhilaration coursing through me like the very fire burning through my enemies. It had been so long since I had just let loose and killed those who deserved to be killed. It felt nice. Almost… addictive.

Finally, I burned through the last once, and nothing of the battle was left except for singe marks and melted snow on the top of the cliff.

Calling back the flames into my body, it was almost like a pulled elastic snapping back, and my flames distinguished. I heaved a contented sigh, then said to my Charas, "You can come out now."

They obeyed, but Ran, Miki, and Su were trembling. I could almost see fear in their eyes. Well, that was to be expected. Finding out you were born from a vampire who can light herself on fire then shove her fists through Snow Women's throats? Not something you cope with well, I'd imagine.

But it still stung a bit.

Scarlet, on the other hand, looked like she couldn't care less (which she probably couldn't). If anything, she managed to look a bit impressed (I discovered that she is not just my vampire self, but my totally bitchy side as well). Rolling my eyes at her and grabbing my coat off the ground, I faced the Ice Lotus as the ferocious wind began to die down.

The barrier around the cliff top shattered like thousands of shards of glass falling to the earth, letting the full force of the Ice Lotus' glow shine in my eyes. It illuminated the entire sky above it, almost like a mini red _aurora borealis_. I had to shield my eyes for a second, and my Charas had to duck into my coat. How was I going to pick it up? I was kind of scared of breaking it, since it just looked like pure, fragile crystal. It was like the bed all over again.

A thought suddenly came to me. If it can survive in the harshest conditions, then…

Holding out my hand, palm outward, I closed my eyes and tried to gather the cold around me. For a moment, I actually felt a jolt of freezing air coarse through my veins. Then it burst out with the sound of shattering icicles, casing the Ice Lotus in a little ice capsule, still intact.

Awesome. It worked like a charm. Very carefully, I shoved my hands beneath it and into the snow so I could pick it up from the bottom and cradle it back safely. I smiled down at it. It was so gorgeous, Tallyn's bride-to-be was sure to love it.

"Scarlet, help me out here," I said gruffly. She nodded and Chara Changed, so giant, leathery bat wings sprouted from my back. It was weird, kind of like tearing flesh, but kind of tingly (I think I may be an M). I gently leapt from the cliff top, spreading out my wings so they caught wind, kind of like a sail on a boat. I didn't float all the way to the bottom; the wind prevented that. So I landed on footfalls, then leapt from one to the next.

Once I was about around the middle of the cliff, something out of the corner of my eye caught my attention. A beam of light navigating through the light snow.

I crouched behind the rock, folding my wings behind my back. "Who's that?" I whispered.

My Charas poked out of my pocket, and Scarlet narrowed her eyes. "It's him."

"Who?"

"Look."

I squinted my eyes, and my pupils dialated like those of a cat's, making them look all the more gold and unearthly. My vision seemed to zoom, and I saw the figure. It was a man, tall, with dishevelled orange-y hair…

"What?!" I whispered, totally stunned and confused. "What is _Nikaidou _doing out here?!"

He was walking briskly, in the direction farther away from the lodge. His expression was his usual goofy countenance, but something darker and determined. He had a mission; that was clear.

"I don't understand," I murmured when he was out of sight. "What the hell is he doing?"

"Should we follow him?" Ran asked, looking eager and worried at the same time.

I considered, hesitating. I didn't know. None of this was making sense. Why would a human be wandering in the snow? And Nikaidou of all people? Could it be that… he wasn't who we thought he was?

"I think we should report to the Guardians first," Scarlet said, and her voice was bordering on dangerous. "They have to know about what we saw tonight. And maybe we can follow him tomorrow."

"How are we going to say I saw him?"

"You got up to pee and saw him out there, wandering away."

I hated how she had an answer for everything. Then again, maybe that meant that I did, too.

Something very worrying was tugging in my chest. It wasn't adding up at all. Something was going on, and it wasn't good… Coincidence more X Eggs started showing up when he came to Crescent Academy?

I narrowed my eyes after his figure, almost completely lost in the cover of snowfall. My hair blew around my face as I stood, spreading my wings and preparing to head home to keep the Lotus safe until I could give it to Tallyn tomorrow night.

I never trusted Nikaidou.

Maybe I was a better judge of character than I thought.

As I trudged through the deep snow back to the lodge, I knew that things were about to take a turn for the worse. And that I would have to fight even harder, and stop being a Mary Sue.

Whatever the case, it was _so _on.

_**Oh. Oh God. None of you know how much remorse I'm feeling for not keeping up on my updates as often as I should. I'll cry if that makes you feel better. "The turtle can't hurry up, his hair is growing back!" –Guy I'm crushing on**_

_**So yeah, in light of Christmas coming soon, I'm going to take advantage of the break to write an original short bonus chapter about Aileen's past Christmas and how it made her think she wanted to change. It was technically the beginning of wanting to find herself, so it should be interesting **___

_**Also. I've decided to do one of those cute little contest things, where I ask a Guardian Characters! Trivia question and whoever gets the right answer first gets a preview of future chapters! I really hope people participate, because I am so dang excited about it! So please participate if you want to!**_

_**Aaaaand that was Chapter XIV! I really hope you guys liked it, since I took so long to update *cries in shame*. So please review, because I love my reviews!**_

_**TRIVIA QUESTION 1: What is the definition of Aileen's middle name?**_

_**HINT: This is really easy; just skim back a few chapters to her Character Profile, find out what it is, then Google it! Simple enough!**_

_**(PLEASE NOTE: Leave your answer in a review. And if you're a guest viewer, I obviously can't PM you the preview for future chapters.)**_

_**See you next time in Chapter XIV: Bonus!: The Angel That Appeared On Christmas Night. Look forward to it!**_


	15. Chapter 14 Bonus!

_**Hello people! I mentioned that in honour of Christmas, I will be making a bonus chapter about Aileen's past Christmas! AND HERE IT IS! It includes an OC from my original story, Intoxicated! For those of you who have actually read a bit of it, you'll know EXACTLY who they are. Without further ado, here's my very first bonus chapter!**_

Chapter XIV~ Bonus!- The Angel That Appeared On Christmas Eve

_Once upon a time…_

_Actually, screw that. It wasn't too long ago, to be honest._

_Anyway. A little while back, there was a vampire._

_This vampire had everything she could have ever wanted. Money, power, fame. But none of that mattered to her. Because she was all alone. She lived with a very nice family, sure. But they were very well strangers. And she had no friends._

_So, of course, Christmas was the most depressing time of year for her. She'd always go off on her own, not wanting to disrupt her adopted family's Christmas with her presence, that of an outsider. She had no real family to go to. They had all faded away._

_On the Christmas Eve of last year, she sat on the roof of a church, the grounds that would always curse her. She watched the bustling humans below, with their last minute shopping, family dinners, and just spending time together. She wasn't really envious; she stopped feeling emotion a long time ago. It was for the best, she decided, to live without having to love. Without having something to lose._

_She stared up at the full moon, at the stars, at the heavens, not feeling the cold or bitter wind. She should've felt sad, being all alone on Christmas, the time for friends and family to put aside their differences and come together for a time of unconditional love. But she didn't. She just felt… kind of bored._

_The wind blew more ferociously for a moment, blowing her… um… _odd_ coloured hair in her face. She pushed it behind her ear, dazed and not really paying attention. Then, a sudden noise to her right caught her attention, making her become alert and lash her head in that direction._

_Someone had just face planted in the snow on the roof._

_Countless beats of silence passed._

_Finally, the person looked up. It was a girl, with big, azure eyes and hair so white you couldn't tell it apart from the snow. She stared at the vampire, her face as luminescent as the moon and cheeks not even red from cold. She clearly wasn't human either. The vampire almost hissed like a snake, telling her to get lost._

_But then the girl laughed bitterly, and stood with a red face. "Well, that was embarrassing," she said, her voice sounding like that of beautiful Christmas chimes. _

Could she be… _The vampire thought suddenly, narrowing her eyes. _An angel?

_No, she decided. There's an aura around her, so dark and threatening, that it gave the vampire's a run for its money. How was that possible? The vampire had immense power all on her own. Was it possible this girl was stronger than that?_

_Looking at this girl, the vampire decided that she was probably the most beautiful girl she had ever seen. Her face was clearly that of a goddess', soft, pale, and elegant. Her big, impossibly blue eyes were framed by heavy black lashes, making them seem all the more unearthly. Her white hair was swept into a high ponytail, yet it still reached just past her butt (that filled me with envy…). Her figure could've made her a model, standing at about five foot eleven with envious curves. Why does she have everything I don't? The vampire thought. This was the first time she actually felt envy._

"_What are you doing up here?" The girl asked, taking a seat beside the vampire. Why is she sitting next to me like she knows me? The vampire wondered, bristling like an angry cat._

_So she said nothing._

"_It's Christmas," the girl tried again. "Aren't you spending it with your family?"_

_Does she not know who I am? "I don't have any family," the vampire mumbled, just to make her go away._

_But instead, the girl smiled, making her look all the more beautiful and sad. "Neither do I."_

…_The vampire was at a loss for words. She knew that many humans and demons alike had no families either. But she was rather off in her own world. To actually meet someone who had lost what she had came as a shock. And for that person to actually be cheerful and be a conversationalist? She didn't know what to think._

_The strange girl just kept speaking. "Don't you have any friends?"_

_The vampire was beginning to feel a tad insulted. "No. It's easier that way."_

_A few moments of silence past as tender snowflakes began drifting down from the sky, melting as the touched the two demon's bodies. Then the girl stood to her full height and said, "I used to think exactly like you."_

_The vampire raised her eyebrows. This girl didn't seem that much older than her. Then again, demon appearances don't really matter when judging their age._

"_I used to always believe…" The girl began, looking towards the sky. She really did look like an angel, even if she was surrounded by a dark aura. "That I was better off alone. I didn't need company. It was just easier to only care about myself and not let anyone melt the hunk of ice I called a heart."_

_The wind blew harder for just a moment, making the vampire squint and pull her hair away from her face. When it died down again, she saw something in that girl's eyes that made her own widen. _

_Unwavering strength. Whenever she looked into the mirror, she saw no such thing in herself. Only blank, uncaring expressions. But this girl seemed impossibly strong and fierce. For the first time in her life, the vampire was consumed with awe. She wanted something for the first time. She wanted to be as strong as the angelic demon standing before her._

"_But now…" The girl continued, snapping the vampire out of their reverie. She turned her eyes on the vampire, and she felt so young and small for the first time. She felt vulnerable. "Now I have something to protect. People I care about. Things I want to do with my life. And I have never been stronger._

"_The way I was when I was always alone could never compare to what is inside of me now. The light I have inside of me is like a gamma ray burst, destroying everything dark it touches." The way she looked at the vampire…_

…_It left her shaken. She couldn't describe what she was feeling. Awed respect? No. That didn't even begin to cover it. _

"_Whether you're a human or demon," she continued, looking back up at the sky. She pointed her finger to the full moon, making the snow shine like falling sparkles. "We're all like the moon."_

_Now the vampire was confused. "What's that supposed to mean?"_

_The girl grinned, only it wasn't out of sweetness. It looked more smug and knowing. "We can't shine alone."_

_Just then, the wind blew harder again, knocking the elastic right out of the girl's hair, making it cascade like an avalanche. The vampire was overwhelmed with the sense of power coming from this one person. It rivalled a god's. _

"_So you see," the girl said, holding one pale, artistic looking hand out to the vampire. "You've gotta find somebody out there. They'll be your strength. Your sparkle. Let me show you."_

_She pulled the vampire up, then let go of her hand. Then she placed her pointed finger on one of her incisors, and it lengthened into a fang. It pierced through her skin, and the vampire was taken aback by the smell. It wasn't sweet and enticing, like she was used to. But instead it was like a foreign delicacy you were afraid to try in fear it wouldn't agree with your system. She extended her finger towards the vampire, and the vampire shrank back._

"_Don't be a baby," the girl snorted. The vampire was insulted, and stood perfectly still. Then, the girl suddenly swiped her finger over the vampire's right eyelid. _

"_What the-" The vampire began, but she was cut off._

"_Shhh," the girl said. "Look." She pointed down to the vampire's left hand._

_Begrudgingly, the vampire looked. And nearly fell off the roof in surprise. There, attached to her ring finger, was a red string, blindingly bright and passionate. She held up her hand and gazed at it, wondering what it was._

"_This is proof that someday, you're going to find someone to protect," the girl said with a smile. The vampire looked at her face, then almost hissed._

_All across her right eye was the brand of the Demon Council, a swirling dragon with fire breath hissing out of its fangs. The brand was as red as the string on the vampire's finger._

"_Why do you have the brand of the council?" The vampire growled, her moment of awe gone. _

"_Hm? Oh, that." The girl began laughing heartily. But when she opened her eyes, they were glaring and evil, all traces of angel gone. "The Council took something that belonged to me. So I destroyed their headquarters in Japan and took it back."_

_As soon as she finished speaking, the malice in her eyes vanished and was replaced with a smile. "But that was a long time ago. And this brand gave me the power to see the Strings Of Fate."_

_The vampire cocked her head to the side. She didn't believe in fate or destiny. If there was such a thing out there and it was so cruel to take her entire family away from her, she wanted no part of it. "What's that?"_

_The girl's face transformed, into something tender and thoughtful. "Everyone has someone they're fated to be with from the moment they're born, and they're connected by a red string tied to their ring fingers, the fingers of promise. They find that someone someday, and it feels like… they're whole for the first time in their lives. Like they've finally come home after such a long journey."_

"_Do you have someone like that?" The vampire asked._

_The girl was quiet for a moment. Then her gorgeous white face became rose red, and she looked almost sheepish. "Um, yeah. When I began seeing the strings, I saw the one around my finger. And then… I found him."_

_Taking her completely by surprise, the girl grabbed the vampire's hand and held it to her chest. "You have someone. Your string is proof of that. So you have to learn to be who you really are, then go and find them."_

_The girl smiled, so genuine and pure, that the vampire was suddenly overtaken with a blush. Girl crush? For sure. It reminded her of the sun peeking out of the darkness as a new day dawned. _

"_You're never alone," she said. "Always remember that."_

_Then the girl hopped off the church roof, to the snowy ground below. She literally looked like an angel leaping off a church spire, hair falling behind her like a sinewy waterfall, face lit up with her gorgeous smile. She landed on the ground gracefully, then almost slipped and fell on her ass. _

_The vampire suddenly didn't want her to go. To be honest, the mysterious girl reminded her of her mother, gone so long ago, beautiful and fleeting like a winter fairy._

"_What's your name?" The vampire asked suddenly._

_The girl seemed surprised for a moment. Then she laughed and said, "Bambina."_

_That made the vampire snort. "How dumb do you think I am? I know that's not a name." The vampire had vast knowledge of other cultures; _bambina _was Italian for princess._

"_Ohohoho!" The girl laughed ridiculously. "You can call me that for now. Now, what's your name?"_

_The vampire hesitated. Giving another demon your name meant giving them power over you. So, she said, "Vartiter."_

_The girl laughed, clearly keen on language as well. "All right then. Until we meet again, Vartiter." Then she began to walk away._

_The vampire was still awe stricken. Even more so when she swore she saw giant, phantom paw prints following hers in the snow._

"That… that was so beautiful!" Nadeshiko sniffed, dabbing her eyes with a tissue. "Where did you hear that story?"

"Um… my mom told it to me when I was young," I said, though it didn't really make sense. She bought it, regardless. Awesome.

"That was amazing, Miss Howard." Tadase smiled. "You have a real talent for storytelling. You could be a writer."

My face flushed bright red. "Um, thanks."

"That was cool," Kukai commented, nodding his head in satisfaction. "But what was Bambina? She left paw prints in the snow."

I shook my head with a grin. "I was never told."

Kukai grinned at me, then held up his hot chocolate for a toast before we went to bed. I gladly conked my mug against his, dreading about how I'd have to sneak out tonight to look for the Ice Lotus. But oh well. At least I got to spend this little bit of time with them before then.

We toasted. Nadeshiko asked, "Did Vartiter ever meet Bambina again?"

I shook my head again. "No. But some mysterious are better left that way."

While everyone herded off to bed, I looked out of the lodge window, at the gently falling snow like that Christmas Eve. I smiled at the dark sky.

I knew, someday, I'd meet Bambina again.

Because she was the one who gave me the strength to smile.

_**So there was my first bonus chapter! I really hoped you guys liked it, because I kind of liked the concept of it! This Bambina will appear again, and when she does, Aileen is overwhelmed with joy. So I can't wait until then!**_

_**Next is Chapter XV, where they confront the X Egg in the mountains! The riveting excitement!**_

_**By the way, I dyed my hair blue. Just thought you should know.**_

_**So, in honour of this bonus chapter…**_

_**HAPPY HOLIDAYS EVERYONE! I LOVE YOU SO MUCH FOR READING THIS FANFIC, AND I HOPE YOU WILL CONTINUE TO THROUGHOUT NEXT YEAR!**_

_**-Crimrose4all **___


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